Isla Magicá
by Azalea Marie
Summary: Draco Malfoy is displeased to find himself nearing thirty, newly single, and struggling to keep to his publishing contract. Ginny Weasley is displeased to find herself single and suffering a poor season with the Harpies. What ever will happen when these two collide on Isla Magicá? EWE. Contains sexual scenes.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** The following is a work of fan fiction using characters from the world of Harry Potter, which is owned by J.K. Rowling. The characters, creatures and other related descriptions are also owned by J.K. Rowling. I will not be receiving any monies in relation to this fan fiction. I have also used the HP Lexicon for some minor details.

* * *

 **ISLA MAGICA**

 **ONE**

Draco had been on the island for a week already and not one spark of inspiration had come to him. He blamed Astoria. If she hadn't ended things with him, then the dreaded writer's block wouldn't have happened. He took a swig from his beer bottle and leant on the balcony, the sun bearing down upon him as he took in the view, hoping that this would provide a source of inspiration.

To no avail, and he had known that it wouldn't. Scenery had never driven him to write before, it had always been people and situations. Draco also knew that he had been struggling to write many months before Astoria gave her engagement ring back.

The sound of unrestrained laughter floated up to him and he turned his gaze downwards to seek the source of the odd sound. Odd because no one laughed without reserve on this island. Draco had experienced heart-stopping fear in his time, so he knew the tell tale thump in his chest when it happened immediately, but he was not scared of what he saw on the ground below. How could he be when what he saw was one of the most beautiful women he had ever witnessed... at least from behind.

She wasn't blonde or tanned, she wasn't tall and she certainly wasn't born into money; that he could tell from the open way in which she had laughed, without a care to her luxurious and rich surroundings. This woman wore a white lace, translucent kimono which she wore over an emerald green bikini, affording him ample view of her petite frame, she had well rounded hips and athletic-looking legs. She must take part in some kind of physical sport – Quidditch, perhaps. That would explain her being able to afford to stay on the island. Her waist wasn't too skinny nor was it too wide and her skin glowed in the afternoon sunshine, even though she was pale. Her fair skin was what possibly warranted the large, floppy hat – though he could still see her hair falling down to her waist. It glowed like her skin, but it was the glow of a hungry fire – red, coppery.

Draco had to see her face but he was rooted to the spot, leaning on his balcony railing, beer in hand and his mouth hanging open as his eyes followed her to the edge of the pool under the shade of some palm trees. Here, she removed her kimono and laid on the deckchair. Still, her face was partially concealed by her sun hat, but now he was certain that she wasn't tall at all due to the fact that her whole body remained on the length of the deckchair. Draco was fairly certain that his own feet and calves would dangle off the end if he laid down fully. He generally went for taller women, but this woman could prove to be an exception, especially when she had a body like that...

Draco drew in a breath as she finally removed her sun hat and placed it on the table beside her, but she wore large sunglasses, which hid her face almost as well as her hat. Though now he could see the shape of her jawline from the distance between them. He watched her for a while before realising that it should have been beneath him to ogle a woman from the edge of his balcony, or to ogle a woman in the first place. He was used to women coming to him, showing an interest in him – his money helped with that. And what was special about this woman? She wasn't his usual type – she had red hair, pale skin and she was short.

"Señor Malfoy?" a voice called from behind him. It was the concierge, come to take his usual order for dinner.

"Matías," Draco said as he went back into the shade of his suite, "who is this woman? Come." Draco grasped Matías's arm and near dragged him to the balcony to point out the redhead by the pool.

Draco saw a slow smile creeping on the concierge's face as he looked below. "Ah, Señor has seen the beautiful señorita," Matías chuckles to himself.

Draco glared at Matías. "Yes," he hissed, impatient. "Who is she?"

Matías laughed again as he took in Draco's impatience. "Famous Quidditch star, Señor Malfoy, Señorita Ginevra Weasley."

Draco stared at the concierge, eyes bulging. "No, it isn't!" he snapped. "I've met Weasley and she looks nothing like that!" He glanced down at the woman again in disbelief. That could not be Weasley, it just couldn't. No sane Malfoy would ever admit to salivating over a damn Weasley.

"Well, Señor, that is the Weasley of famous all-women Quidditch team," Matías said with a shrug. "Señorita arrived only this morning."

Draco was at a loss for words and so said nothing further as he let himself stare down at her again, aghast and disappointed at this information. Now he looked closely at her, Draco could see in her shortness and in the confident way she carried herself that it could only be Weasley. The very colour of her hair should have warned him of that very fact from the beginning.

"Señor? You would like me to take your dinner order now?" Matías asked, cutting through Draco's inner monologue.

"No, no," he said, waving him off absentmindedly. "I'll take my dinner downstairs this evening."

"Ah," Matías tapped his nose as he made to leave, "I know. You wish to meet this Señorita. Don't worry, Señor, Matías will make certain that you shall be seated near her!"

Draco baulked at such an idea. "Oh, Merlin, no!" he exclaimed, but the concierge was already half way out the door by the time Draco had voiced his disapproval. "There will be no – _shit_!"

Matías shut the door to his suite and left Draco standing there, unsure of what to do. He went back to the balcony and looked down at her again... Even Draco couldn't deny to himself now that she was gorgeous, particularly as he had been staring at her for a good half hour before Matías had disturbed him. A sense of urgency grew within him as he watched her, the feeling reminiscent of how it felt to hunger for something you know you shouldn't have. A touch of the forbidden could taste sweeter than anything he'd ever had before. All that he had engaged with before had left a bitter taste anyway, perhaps it would do him some good to try a new palate.

Then he remembered why he had come to the island in the first place; to write his novel. A novel that currently had no characters or premise. Some much needed inspiration could come from this guilty dalliance he had planned, therefore Draco felt justified in putting his novel to one side in favour of more pleasurable pursuits.

Draco had to shake himself out of such thoughts. A woman was the last thing he needed, least of all one that had the surname of Weasley. Astoria had dumped him mere months ago, the wound wasn't exactly fresh but it would take a lot for him to trust another woman for some time. And Weasley was with _Potter_ , he remembered, the insufferable and perpetual hero of the wizarding world, and no matter how handsome Draco thought himself to be... and _taller_... he could not compete with the Boy Who Lived – twice!

The thought of Potter having this redheaded siren annoyed him more than it reasonably should have, but Draco pushed that thought to back of his mind – that part of his brain in which he kept tortuous thoughts sealed in Gringotts style vaults. He would go to dinner, at any rate, how could he not when he had the chance to look at her close up?

And that was another thought that needed to be sealed away.

* * *

Draco could truthfully say to himself that Matías was intrinsically dedicated to the guests of the hotel. He had come good on his offer to have him sat nearby to Weasley, however, there may have been some overzealousness in choosing to seat the pair of them in perhaps one of the most romantic spots on the island, along with all the extra adornments Matías had no doubt orchestrated.

The two tables were on the white stone terrace of the hotel which looked out over the curving caldera that had once been an active volcano many millennia ago. The result was lush green mountains surrounding a vast blue swathe of ocean, with a white sand beach framing the entirety of it like a bright crescent moon. The sun was setting directly ahead of the terrace, which was itself carved out of the very cliff the hotel had been built on. Burning oil lamps were dotted along the edge of the terrace, affording a pretty ambient light to the scene, the topiary bushes had been stuffed with fireflies and the canopy above had been enchanted to reflect the clear dusky sky.

Draco drummed his fingers on the table as he waited for her to turn up and get this over with. Next time, he wouldn't give the staff any indication of any potential love interests and forgo this interminable awkwardness; it was never a good idea to get involved with someone on holiday, especially when that person was practically married to Harry Potter and was related to that prat, Ron Weasley. He would eat his dinner and leave, he wouldn't even need to acknowledge her.

Then the sound of her laughter reached his ears again, that unreserved and sweet giggle that he suddenly wished to be the cause of. Draco felt himself tense up and felt the urge to undo his top button as his blood rushed fast and he grew hot. The sound of her heels clicking on the stone floor came closer and closer and he registered that she was being escorted to her table by a chatty and flirtatious waiter.

"Thank you, Roberto," she said as the waiter pulled the chair out for her to sit down on. Roberto then made a great deal out of flourishing the thick white linen napkin, which only caused her to giggle again, before placing it on her lap.

"Señorita must try the red wine," the waiter said. "It is a good year, perhaps the year you were born?"

Weasley laughed again. "You're too much, Roberto, but I will try it, thank you."

Roberto gave an equally flamboyant bow before he left the two of them alone on the terrace, and Draco took the opportunity to look upon her before she realised who she was sharing the sunset with. With a jolt in his heart and a breath catching in his throat, he knew this woman was fire; the deep red dress she wore clung to her figure, the red hair cascading down to her waist in smooth, coppery curls that shone in the glow of the sunset all served to make her like fire. Then the breeze caught her scent and filled his nostrils and he had to close his eyes as the sweetness of it overwhelmed him.

" _Malfoy?!_ "

She'd finally noticed him, it didn't take her very long at all – having grown up outside of the unwritten rules of upper class wizarding society, she wouldn't have known that it would have been seen as rude to acknowledge him.

" _What are you doing here_?!"

"Evening, Weasley, I thought it might have been you," he drawled. This was familiar, this made sense. "No one else has such a garish shade of hair."

Weasley looked back at him now, all traces of the serenity in her face as she looked out at the caldera were gone, now replaced with disapproval. Even with her mouth twisted in disgust, she looked like an inviting fire. It would be something indeed if he could get at least an ounce of warmth from that fire... No, no! That had been decided against earlier, there would be no nothing with her.

"You didn't answer my question," she snapped. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Draco smirked and tore his gaze away from her face, a movement that he found to be surprising hardship. He proceeded to make a show of unfolding his napkin and placing it over his lap. "That really is none of your business," he finally answered in a smug voice.

Weasley made a _hmmph_ sound. "Just my luck," he heard her mutter, "should have known." Draco looked at her out of the corner of his eye, trying to hear her mutterings, intrigued. "Poor season I've had..." she trailed off, her words now unintelligible. "Then Harry... Of course, this holiday just had to have something wrong with it."

"You know, it is rather rude to mutter away to yourself when there are other people around," he said, turning to look at her again.

"Well... Don't listen then," she snapped, turning away from him abruptly to stare out at the view. Draco could tell she wasn't really taking it in, the frown on her face told him that straight away.

Draco chuckled and followed her gaze to look out over the ocean again, but then he realised something. Her mentioning Potter had made him think. "Why are you on your own? Thought you and Potter were married by now." He sounded casual, but inside, away from the judgemental thoughts of others, Draco was burning to know.

Weasley did not respond straight away, at first it appeared she was fighting with herself over whether or not to insult him and ignore the question, but then she sighed deeply. "Not that it's any of your business, but it will all be in the papers soon enough anyway..." she said, her voice weary all of a sudden as she mentioned the press. "Harry and I are no longer together. And we weren't married, anyway. Where's Roberto gone?" she said, more to herself as she twisted in her seat to look back into the main restaurant area.

This gave Draco a wonderful view of her chest as her neckline plunged in silken folds to her solar plexus, the soft outline of her breast moved as she moved, and he could tell the ample flesh there was soft like luxurious velvet. If only he could test that theory with his own fingers.

"What do you think you're looking at?" her voice cut through his unwanted fantasy like a sharp Stinging Jinx.

"You," he replied without thinking. Draco snapped his gaze up to meet hers when he realised his folly, and he saw her pretty mouth slacken and her eyes widen. Merlin... her eyes... How had he never noticed them before? They were deep-set and framed by long dark lashes, giving her a sultry look, but it was the deep amber colour that took him by surprise – they were like Firewhiskey, in shade and in the way they made him feel punch drunk.

She continued to stare wide-eyed at him as if waiting for him to retract his answer, but Draco never retracted. Even though he knew it was dangerous to allow her to know he was even looking. "Well, I'd appreciate it if you looked elsewhere," she said haughtily before facing back towards the sunset again.

Draco caught himself this time before he could question why he would look elsewhere when she was all there was worth looking at. But, that was dangerous territory again. He could not pursue her, not when he was likely to be rejected. Though... it was interesting that she was no longer with Potter, he wondered what had happened to bring an end to the perfect power couple who had lorded it over the wizarding world for near on six or seven years.

Roberto returned with Weasley's red wine and made another show of opening it and pouring it out for her, using his wand to make the wine cascade into her glass in swirls and loops. Draco rolled his eyes as she giggled again – was she really so easily pleased by such a trick? He could do ten times better than that. Not that he needed to, he had better turn his attentions to a worthier pursuit than a Weasley – a tall and sleek blonde with slim hips and smaller breasts and unblemished skin, darkened by the sun. His mother and father would approve, of course, and they would have perfect little blonde babies to carry the Malfoy name. That image alone caused a violent reaction of disgust to well up inside of him, a reaction he had never experienced before when planning his future, a reaction that had only occurred when this redheaded siren had caught his eye hours earlier...

Draco quickly gulped back his own drink, devouring the burning sensation of the alcohol in his mouth. He didn't want to think about his future, it involved marriage to a woman his parents approved of, perhaps a loveless marriage. All because he wanted his parents to be happy – they hadn't been really happy since the Dark Lord had returned over a decade ago, even when he had been vanquished. Draco felt he could make them happy again through his choices, but he had yet to make that choice. It had nearly been there with Astoria, but he knew it was time to move on... and Ginny Weasley was not the woman to move on with. Ten years ago, he would have never even considered _touching_ a Weasley, letting alone doing with her what his body wanted him to do.

They sat in silence as the sun set and their food arrived, and Draco felt contented enough to simply stare out at the horizon as the last flash of red burning sunlight framed the ocean and disappeared beneath the blackening waves in the distance. A cooler breeze passed over the terrace now, but he felt warm from the wine and food filling his belly, it was that warm feeling of happiness that he had rarely felt since the Dark Lord had returned and been dispatched. He remembered a time before _him_ , yet it was tainted by the knowledge that, as a boy, he had wanted that monster to return and wreak havoc on the muggles and muggleborns. Now, that could not be any farther from the truth. So, he felt that long lost contentment simply sitting there and drinking his excellent wine and admiring the night sky.

"S'beautiful..." Weasley slurred in a quiet voice, forcing Draco to look over at her. She was standing up, not looking at him and so he could only assume she spoke to herself. He also noted the empty wine bottle on her table with some trepidation.

Weasley tottered over to the edge of the terrace, Draco's eyes widening with each movement she made and yet he still could not fail to notice her sumptuously milky smooth thigh being exposed from the split going up the length of her dress which the breeze had managed to open. " _Get back here now, Weasley!"_ he growled with a sudden urgency, his legs springing him up from his seat before his brain could barely register the action as he watched her lean precariously over the railing.

Weasley gasped loudly as her heeled feet left the stone floor, but Draco managed to wrench her arm back hard just in time. "What do you think you're doing? How old are you?!" he hissed at her as she fell face forward into him, the red wine obviously coursing through her and making her act a total fool. Typical Gryffindor. But his ire with her could not last, Weasley may be drunk but she was still unreservedly enticing. Her small body was pressed into his so he could feel each curve and angle of her and it took an ample amount of his own willpower to keep his hands firmly on her arms rather than grasping her behind and pulling her closer to him. It took a great deal of deep breathing to calm the storm raging below as he forced the images of her petite body submitting to his own larger one in the confines of his suite.

"I can fly," she muttered in an indignant voice, pushing him away and the disconnect from her was so sudden that Draco was angry to find his own body reacting badly to the separation. It followed her along the terrace against his own better and prideful judgement; it's primal need and instinct knew this woman's body could be his tonight and that was all. "Hey... stop following me, Malfoy! S'creepy 'nd I don't need you t'save – _hic_ – me!"

Draco had followed her around the length of the terrace, which extended around the restaurant and opened up into another terrace that overlooked the vast waterfall and only lake on the island below, her slurred voice snapping him back to his own self again. What in Merlin's name was he thinking? He wasn't supposed to be getting involved with Weasley, least of all when she was drunk. Where was the pride in sleeping with someone when they had been drunk? "You're disgustingly drunk, Weasley and you nearly just died then," he said soberly, staring down at her as her own amber-coloured eyes tried to focus on him. Up this close, he could see how pure an amber they were, not _like_ Firewhiskey at all. No, they _were_ Firewhiskey; bright and pure in colour and... But he needed to focus. Perhaps some of his own wine had gone to his head. "If I hadn't just pulled you back, you would have fallen on the rocks below," he continued, forcing himself to be serious.

"Jus' being dramatic, jus' leeme alone," she mumbled, waving him off and effectively dismissing him like some shamed servant.

Draco's blood boiled immediately at being banished by a Weasley, and he growled low at such a humiliation. "You don't send me away like some house elf, Weasley," he sneered at her, grasping her arm again as she tried to walk away from him. "I could buy this island if I wanted to and throw you off of it so fast you won't even have time to put your underwear on," he smirked as her eyes flashed with surprise through her drunken haze. "Oh, you didn't think anyone would notice that you were naked under this dress, Weasley? Very daring for a girl who's only ever been with one man."

"You know nothing 'bout – _hic_ – me!" she exclaimed, though she did not fight against the grip he held on her. Ginny Weasley was not the type of girl to back away from a fight. "And I guess you're desperate if you're looking at a Weasley! Not had anything in a long time, Malfoy? I heard your – _hic_ – fiancé dumped you..."

"Don't make me shut you up, Weasley," he growled at her, his eyes boring into hers as she glared up at him. Now her eyes were like fire, like everything else about her.

"Thought that migh'be why you're here," she muttered with a smirk on her luscious mouth. Draco wondered if he could turn those blush pink lips cherry red with his own expectant mouth. "Trying to get over her the ol'fashioned way, Malfoy? Looking for some willing girls to take to bed, are you? Don't even think 'bout coming for me."

"I'm not here to get over Astoria, so don't presume to know my motives," he finally said, more to end his wayward thoughts. They were relentless at this point – the proximity of her body, her heady sweet scent, the softness of her breath hitting his chest were overwhelming to his primal senses. "She's _nothing_ , an ineffectual blot on my past. On the other hand, Potter has left quite the mark on you, hasn't he?" he said cruelly. "Damaged goods which can only be admired from afar. I'd never touch you even if you begged."

Weasley only laughed to herself, that same sound that had drawn his gaze to her in the first place, her head falling back languidly as she did so and exposing her pearly-coloured throat to him. And it was just another place for him to kiss her... "S'Not good to lie... I know you want to touch me," she murmured as her eyes met his again. "I've seen that look in so many men's eyes before... _hic_... It only means one thing." Weasley laughed again and it was suddenly the most sensual sound he had ever heard in his life, low and tempting, but girlish at the same time, innocent. "And I'm not here because of Harry either, so guess you shouldn't presume too."

Draco stared down at her, her unsteadiness making her rock forward into him and he felt a hunger within which he knew would not be satiated by any kind of food. It wanted her, only she would satisfy the hunger and he knew this when his body reacted like a storm when hers touched his; his blood raging in his veins like a churning and unforgiving ocean, his skin burning like a wildfire craving oxygen to grow and blaze even stronger, his breath fast like an indecisive wind. It was disgusting how this Weasley caused him such a reaction as he had never felt before.

Weasley laughed again. "You're so pathetic that you probably _hate_ yourself for wanting me," she said. "But you're not as high and mighty as your mummy and daddy would have you believe – even you would sleep with a commoner if she had a nice face and body. Just like any man."

Draco needed to take control of this situation, he couldn't allow this little redhead any further comment and he certainly wouldn't allow her to strut over his pride. She was just a commoner to him, after all. "And I suppose you left your room with innocent intentions when you decided not to put any underwear on?" Draco smirked down at her as he let her arm go and instead pulled her to him by her waist. His body groaned as she gasped at his action, her delicate hands going to his chest to keep a barrier between them. "You wanted someone to notice, you _craved_ a little male attention..." he murmured into her ear. "Well, now you've got my undivided attention." He chuckled as he dared flick his tongue out against her ear, and revelled in the gasping sound she let escape her again.

This was not going at all how he had planned, but it was too much to resist any longer. Even just being in her company for just over an hour had been a sensory overload, and his body begged him for release, a release that he hadn't had for some time now. Weasley hadn't been wrong about that. Now she had him standing on the precipice, perhaps of that waterfall in the distance, wanting to jump in without a care in the world, something he would never have done before.

But still he felt he were regaining control of the situation, making her shut up and submit to him. And he carried on daring to touch her with his mouth as she had not protested his experimental flick, though now he lowered his head to gain access to that pearly throat he had glimpsed earlier. His mouth moved gently across her smooth skin and he could feel the pulse in her neck throbbing against his lips and it only made him want her more. Draco pressed his face deeply into the crook of her neck and drank in her intoxicating scent, a scent that reminded him of the exhilarating rush of flying through the meadow at Malfoy Manor, and he lifted a hand up to manipulate her like he would his own Firebolt, grasping her throat to coax her head to the side all so he could ravage her there with his mouth and teeth.

Draco growled as he heard her gasp once more in response to his gentle nipping, a sound so animalistic that he was surprised that it had come from him at all. If she hadn't decided to slap him across the face for his forwardness now, then he knew he could dare to do more, and, dear Merlin, he wanted to do more. He traced the length of her collarbone with his fingers and slowly dropped his hand downwards toward her chest, his palm brushing against the silk which covered her modesty. Draco curled his fingers around the material and forced it aside, allowing him immediate access to the naked flesh of her full breast, the cool air instantly tightening her nipple under his hand.

"Not here..." she whispered, her own small hand coming up to clasp over his, and he could smell the alcohol on her cool breath. But Draco was reluctant to lose the feel of her so soon and held her tighter to him, a guttural sound escaping his throat in protest of her trying to end it now. "Not here..." she insisted more firmly, nervousness entering her tone now.

Draco forced his mouth from her throat and looked hazily down at her. "Then where?" And, dear Merlin, she looked so deliciously vulnerable with her breast exposed to the moonlight and the evidence of his assault on her throat already blooming for all to see. He didn't wait for her to answer, instead he lifted her and placed her on the stone wall which had been built alongside the hotel. Here she was raised up and at the perfect height for him to cup her breast and guide her lusciously pink nipple into his hot mouth.

"My bedroom," she gasped out, "my bedroom!" But Draco couldn't let her go now, he had to taste her skin for a moment longer and so he did. The little redhead was surprisingly powerless against his firm hold on her, all she could do was let him suck and lick on her there. Draco could feel himself swelling against his carefully tailored trousers, which had funnily enough not been cut to fit that kind of movement, and he knew they couldn't go back through the restaurant. If only he had the audacity to take her right there on the wall, so close to the prying eyes of the staff and other guests.

"You'd better be sober enough to Apparate to your bedroom, Weasley..." he near groaned as his trousers tightened and rubbed unpleasantly against his hardness. "There's no way I'm walking back through that restaurant."

Weasley looked down to where he gestured and he saw her eyes widen for the briefest of moments. "I'm not even drunk... s'no big deal..." Draco felt himself throb with urgency as she slipped her dress aside, revealing her thigh again, and this time he noticed the strap which went around her leg. Her wand was slotted in the thin sheath the strap was attached to and, for some reason, seeing this sent a surge of burning lust through him even more. She grasped at the front of his shirt and forced him to Apparate with her, the squishing sensation doing nothing to ease his want at all.

They landed in her bedroom and Draco realised she must be in one of the junior suites as her rooms were significantly smaller than his. Then he had to catch her as she teetered over unsteadily, and he used the opportunity to sweep her up into his arms. Not drunk, indeed. This was probably the most drunk she had ever been in her life, otherwise she wouldn't have allowed Draco Malfoy to suck at her breast so wantonly, nor suggest he even come back to her room and behave so placid. He laid her down on her queen-sized bed amongst her newly changed sheets and plumped up pillows to stand over her and take in the scene. Then it took every ounce and inch of willpower he had left to do what he did next.

"It's been... interesting, Weasley," he drawled. "Now it's time for you to go to sleep."

Weasley stared wide-eyed up at him. " _What_?" she hissed.

"I don't sleep with drunk witches," he said simply as he walked away from her and plucked his own wand from his pocket.

"How dare you?!" she shouted, scrambling to get up. "I'm not drunk!" She then rolled spectacularly off the bed with a loud thump.

At this point, Draco Apparated back to his own suite and immediately removed his trousers. He realised his breath was running short and his blood was thudding hard and fast in his veins as though it were trying to escape the heat she caused within him. He couldn't let that happen again, he couldn't allow himself that weakness to give into such base urges like a lowly beast. Only tonight, he told himself, that was it... she'd barely remember anything in the morning anyway.

With that last thought, he took himself off to bask under a cool shower and do what he hadn't done since he was a teenager. This would be the last base act of this holiday and it was only because it was now too painful to let lie.

* * *

 **A/N:** So, I wrote this over the summer and have only just come back to it now. My inspiration came from the Mills and Boon romance books, and I wondered what could a Draco/Ginny Mills and Boon romance look like, and this is the result. If you like it, please review. If you have any constructive criticism, please review. If you like it, please review also, they are much appreciated. Look forward to seeing you for the next chapter


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** The following is a work of fan fiction using characters from the world of Harry Potter, which is owned by J.K. Rowling. The characters, creatures and other related descriptions are also owned by J.K. Rowling. I will not be receiving any monies in relation to this fan fiction. I have also used the HP Lexicon for some minor details.

* * *

 **ISLA MAGICA**

 **TWO**

Draco had stayed in his suite for the rest of the week after his dangerous encounter with Weasley. This was the first time he had reacted to a witch in such an unpredictable way – he had been unable to tame the urges in his body, unable to still the brewing storm in the face of Ginny Weasley's inexplicable allure. As such, Draco had thought it best to keep to his rooms until he felt he could keep his primal urges under his brain's rational control.

Today, he had awoken from dreamlessness and took this as a sign that all was well within. Each night before, vivid images of a barely clothed Ginny Weasley had visited him on his balcony, where he would be sat powerful and commanding. She usually begged him on her knees for respite, respite from her unendurable lust for him, and she had tried to deny it for so long... but now, she could take no more. Dream Draco would always keep her waiting longer than necessary, but would of course agree to relieve her of her problem eventually. Not last night, however, and it was this that gave him permission to finally leave his suite. After all, why should he hide from her?

No clouds blemished the blue sky, giving the sun an uninterrupted view of the island and it's surrounding scenery. Draco knew it would be a good day to swim in the lake as most other guests would be down at the beach, taking part in the activities the staff ran. But the beauty of the island lie in the fact that it did not ever have too many guests clogging up space, this was why they could charge so much for a suite. With his wand tucked into his swimming shorts and a towel under one arm, Draco left his suite and made his way down to the lake, having to pass through the communal areas first.

"Ah, Señor!" Matías was hurrying over to Draco from the reception area. "Señor, we have just had this letter arrive for you." He held out envelope and Draco knew instantly that it was a letter from his mother by the handwriting.

Draco waved Matías off. "Send it up to my room, Matías," he said, knowing exactly what was in that letter without opening it.

"Sí, of course, Señor," Matías obliged with a slight bow, then he sidled up to Draco and gave him a sly smile. "Señorita has the _infierno_ inside her, Señor, the fire," he whispered, looking around to see if any of the other staff could hear him.

Draco could not disagree with that estimation on Ginny Weasley's character. "Yes, Weasley can be rather fiery, she's short, she has red hair... typical in England, I assure you."

"Ay no, no," Matías said, gesturing and shaking his head. "Señorita was asking for you, Señor – she has the fire of _un amante_ , a lover."

Draco stared at Matías, he had to blink a few times before he registered what the concierge had said. "Ridiculous," he finally spoke, dismissing him. "Weasley wants to jinx me into next week, that's the fire you're seeing."

Matías looked confused by this state of affairs. "Señor, did you not take the opportunity to romance Señorita Weasley on the terrace last week?"

"That is not your business, Matías," Draco said in a firm voice, despising himself for allowing his mind to wander back to that very sensual encounter he had with Weasley on the secluded terrace overlooking the waterfall. The mere thought of it sent his heart beating double time. Draco shook his head and focused on Matías, who still looked magnificently confused.

"Señorita is a beautiful lady, Señor," Matías said knowingly. "New guests will be arriving soon, some of them young men like yourself." The concierge bowed to him and walked back toward the reception desk without any further comment or look.

Draco knew what he implied – Weasley would not remain available for very long on this island and she was ripe for a fling after being with a dullard like Potter for several years. Not that he cared, he wasn't going to be the one to engage in a holiday romance with her. Such things were sickeningly inane and banal, and he didn't have time for dalliances. First, he still suffered the dreaded writer's block. Second, he had been on course to begin his own family before Astoria returned her engagement ring to him – he was in search of a bride, the mother of his children, not some time-consuming affair.

Draco walked along the old cobbled path, which led away from the main grounds of the hotel and towards the wilder part of the island. The path was covered by wisteria, the scent of them forcing Draco to remember his nose buried into a pearly-coloured throat, drinking in the sweet scent of an inviting woman and so he was glad to finally leave the path. To leave the thought of Weasley back there where she belonged, behind him.

The flora and fauna grew wilder with each passing step, but Draco could still see the shining and smooth whiteness of the hotel, rising up behind him out of the plant life as though it had grown there of its own volition. The sun could only break through to the cool earthy floor Draco walked on by the grace of the leaves moving in the salty breeze, and it gave him some respite from the blazing heat. He walked for some minutes more, his only companions being the birds twittering above in the trees – Draco was certain he had spotted the yellow and ball-like Snidget flying between branches, but lost sight of it when he heard the sound of rushing water some distance ahead. He was close to the lake now.

The natural path gave way to a bank framing the most turquoise water he had ever seen, the trees of the wood edging around the length of lake until they reached the jutting cliff which housed the waterfall. Some of the branches from the trees dropped down into the lake, affording excellent boards from which to dive in from, perhaps naked. One of Draco's favourite pastimes was to skinnydip at least once in every place he visited.

He threw his towel over one of the branches and went to remove his shorts when he heard a humming noise to his far left. Draco immediately stiffened at the sound and snatched his towel up before he could be spotted as he slid behind the large trunk. The humming noise sounded familiar, it was a song he had heard the musicians playing at the bar in the evening and it was definitely a female humming the tune. Draco dared to peek around the trunk and through the intertwining branches in time to see Ginny Weasley emerging from the water, completely naked.

He felt his shoulders slacken and his stomach fall out of him all in one movement as the very real feeling of hopelessness seeped into his body and infected his mind. How could he possibly fight the raging, fiery lust coursing through his blood and rushing to his lower body? The very sight of her creamy looking skin, dotted over with new freckles from her week basking under the sun, sent his imagination into a frenzy of sexual fantasies, each one as unbelievable as the last. It was just his luck that she would be at the lake of all days.

His mouth fell open when she bent to pick up her discarded towel and turned around as she towelled off her hair, her expression distracted by the scenery in front of her. Her breasts were as round as he first imagined, the fullest breasts he had ever seen on a naked woman and then her full hips and thighs framed the most private part of her. Just taking in the damp red, coppery curls that hid what modesty she had left was enough to cause his shorts to tighten in a moment of awful dejá vu.

This was the most beautiful witch he had ever seen and that very thought threw him into a complex mix of emotions – disgust with himself, lust for her, a sense of inexplicable ownership, fear, anticipation... It was overwhelming, and first and foremost of all those was his need to stake his claim over her as Matías's warning words rang clear in his mind. Suddenly he seemed to care very much that there could be a horde of virile young wizards on their way to the island, solely to fight over Ginny Weasley's singular attentions.

With that in mind, and nothing else, Draco hung his towel back up on the branch, left his wand and walked into the cool water, which immediately dealt with the problem in his shorts. He swam with purpose towards the middle of the lake where the sun shone directly through the gap in the canopy of trees.

As expected, a loud gasp came from Weasley's direction and he turned smoothly, treading water as he watched with a smirk as she hid herself in haste behind her towel.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" she shrieked, panic on her face.

Draco chuckled. "I recall you asking me that question already, Weasley," he replied before swimming to her bank.

"Where do you think you're going?" she gasped out as she watched his progress. "You can stay in the water, this is my part of the lake!"

Draco laughed again as he pulled himself up from the water onto the bank in front of her. "You don't own this island, Weasley," he drawled. "I may go where I please. If you don't like it, then you can leave."

Weasley glared at him, and he knew she saw that as a challenge and it was clear to him that she could not turn away from a challenge. "I'm not leaving, you can leave. I was here first."

"I'm not leaving either, so you'll have to endure my presence," he replied, smirking at her as he spoke. Weasley huffed loudly and turned her back on him, giving him another accidental glimpse of her heart-shaped backside, as she wrenched her bikini from the branch it was hanging off of. "Oh, don't get dressed on my account," he murmured, unable to stop his legs from carrying him closer to her. "It would be a shame to hide it away now."

Weasley jumped and spun around to come face to face with him standing mere inches from her. He said face to face, but she had to lift her head to even catch his gaze as he looked down at her. "How _dare_ you look at me?!" she said, aghast as she clutched onto her towel as though it were keeping her alive.

"How could I not?" he asked in all truthfulness, dispensing with the façade. The need to own her grew with each passing second and it didn't have time for Malfoy pride or vendettas. Draco grinned at her as he had her backed up against an ancient tree trunk, her eyes widening to the size of two round galleons as he trapped her between his own body and arms either side of her.

"You did something to me the other night," she whispered, meeting his gaze without fear. "Didn't you? We were eating dinner on the terrace and... well, it all gets a little hazy after that..." she trailed off, but Draco did not fail to notice the blush creeping up her neck and across her cheeks. She was hazy, that was fine, but she definitely had snapshots of their inadvisable tryst on the terrace. "But, you did something. I woke up the next morning with... with _bruises_ on my neck!"

Draco laughed low and glimpsed her throat as he dropped his gaze momentarily. It would be a grand thing to leave more bruises there from his teeth whilst he buried himself deep inside her, over and over. "I didn't do anything you didn't consent to," he replied in a low voice. "You would have let me in your bed if I hadn't put a stop to it."

"Liar! I would _never_ do anything like that with _you_ , of all people!" she said, the fire of her anger spurring him further into madness.

"You were so drunk, Weasley, you probably would have done anything with anyone," he muttered. "Fortunately for you, I'm a gentleman," she scoffed here but he continued as though she hadn't made a sound. "I made sure you got back to your bedroom untouched."

Weasley threw him a sceptical look. "Untouched?" she asked, scoffing again with derision. "Untouched? There were bite marks all over my throat!"

Draco smiled and leant in closer to her, his hand going up to brush over her neck and ignoring the flinch that went through her. "Well, untouched in certain areas..." he chuckled. "It's a shame they've disappeared."

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Malfoy?" she whispered, her eyes widening as he leant even closer.

The warm amber of her eyes sent him senseless, he forgot she was a Weasley, he forgot they had been enemies. All he could remember now was that she was stood right there in front of him with only a towel covering her nakedness, wandless and at his sweet mercy. "What do you think...?" he murmured before cupping the back of her head and drawing her mouth onto his in one smooth motion. Draco felt her fighting against him, but he was too strong for her and so she slackened. In his madness, he took this for willingness and attempted to deepen the kiss until he realised far too late that he had made a grave mistake. " _Ouch_!" Draco shouted, jumping back from her and wiping his mouth. She had bitten his tongue! "You fucking made me _bleed_!"

"Serves you right," she snapped. "How dare you try and stick your tongue down my throat!" She hastened over to where her wand lay at the base of another tree and pointed it straight at him. "I don't know what's wrong with you, Malfoy, maybe the heat has gotten to your head, but don't even think about touching me again."

The blazing look on her face and in her eyes only made him want her more, she was like an unshakeable fever in his blood. Hot and incessant. Something inside him growled in displeasure as she backed away, her wand still pointed at him, before she took off into the trees and left him burning with frustrated lust. Draco had to have her, there was no ignoring this now – he had tasted her briefly and it had been oh so sweet. In that briefest of moments, it had placated that beast inside of him.

He had to taste her again.

* * *

Once he had swam enough in the warm water of the lake, Draco returned to his room to shower and ready himself for the evening ahead. He was determined to get Weasley to talk to him, at least civilly. The envelope left on the table in the living room caught his eye, however, and he decided he had better get his mother's message out of the way.

 _Dearest Draco,_

 _Your father and I would rather like to know when you plan on returning to England. We understand that this little hiccup with Astoria has thrown your plans out of sorts etc., however, you know your father wishes you to be more responsible when it comes to the running of the Malfoy estates. You cannot simply go gallavanting when the mood takes you, and for three weeks together! I presume you plan to spend the entire summer there when you could be here wooing eligible witches of good family and decent fortune._

 _You know your father and I were married long before our 27th birthdays, and it seems absurd that you have not yet even secured a wife, let alone an heir to the Malfoy name. That damned girl ruined your plans, we understand, but we see this as a blessing in disguise – Astoria was not right for you, nor for the family. You well know our thoughts on her, Draco. She has a pretty face, but she is of a weak disposition – not at all suited to bearing strong children. It will do you no good to mope and pine for her. I will say nothing of Pansy Parkinson, I realise how much you despise her._

 _Perhaps your foreign trip will be successful in that regard. A beautiful foreign witch could catch your eye. This would avoid mixing of bloodlines at least._

 _Of course, we miss you as well. Although you no longer live at the Manor permanently, we like to know you are safe in England. Unless your intention is to find a well-fed foreign witch, please do not lengthen your trip longer than necessary._

 _Your ever loving mother,_

 _Narcissa_

Draco had known that her letter would mention his need to find a bride soon, the unsuitability of Astoria and generally guilt tripping him into coming home. He was certain his parents thought he wasn't taking his future seriously – they had been at him to find a bride since they found out Astoria had dumped him, but Draco thought about it in very serious terms as he approached the latter end of his twenties.

He wanted the comfort of coming home to a woman who would ease his worries, kiss him meaningfully when he needed reassurance and to simply spend time with. His flat in London grew lonelier and lonelier with each passing day, so it would be nice to fill the rooms with children.

That evening, Draco dressed himself carefully having decided to venture down to the bar to torture himself further and try and get another chance with Ginny Weasley. No one could ever say he gave up easily. In fact, the sharp pain in his tongue only served to fan the flames of the lust running through him. His only regret was how easily he had disregarded his resolve, a resolve he had built up over the course of a week and which had come crashing down upon seeing the glory that was her luscious body. It was regretful in that he thought himself capable of seeing past such base urges, but no, he was just like any other heterosexual male who had gone for months on end without any female attention.

Draco stood in front of the large floor-length mirror in his bedroom and checked his appearance one last time. His white-blonde hair was styled to fall just over his forehead messily, but he mussed it just that little bit more before smoothing his shirt down and buttoning his tailored dark green velvet dinner jacket. The sun had done him some good as well, as he noted that he had a healthy, light tan. Since there was no more he could do, Draco pocketed his wand and left his suite, anticipation heightening his nerves and senses.

The thought of seeing Weasley again in the dim and sensual light of the hotel bar stirred his desire enough to make him believe she was his. His determination was such that he could not believe anything else. So when he reached the bar, the sound of lively island music reaching his ears, his mind and body were not at all prepared to see the very woman he had been thinking about dancing dangerously close with another man.

As soon as Draco entered through the opulent glass doors of the bar, she was the first thing he saw. Of course she would be the first thing he saw and he stood there, unable to move or think. This man was tanned, dark-haired and tall with a strong and manly face, no doubt he was Spanish. And did Draco seethe with jealousy at the sight of this intruder's hands on her waist, turning her this way and that like some ballroom pro. He hadn't felt so much jealousy since Potter had gotten a Firebolt in his third year and this topped even that, this out flew that ten times over.

Then he frowned, moving closer into the bar and ignoring the chatter of the other guests as he noticed all was not right. Weasley did not appear to be enjoying herself at all, the way her feet stuttered like the intruder were yanking her, forcing her to step with him. There was a definite tug going on between them and her face was set in that familiar expression of anger. Draco pushed through the other dancers, not really aware of what he was doing – he was no hero and she was certainly no damsel in distress, but he knew this seemed like the right thing to do. Only when he reached her and wrenched the intruder away, his eyes met hers and her fist met his face.

"Oh, Merlin!"

"Get away! _Saca a este hombre_."

The white light that blinded him dissipated and somehow he was laying horizontal, his back on the wooden dance floor with the lights shining brightly in his eyes. A face loomed over him, blocking the glare of the light above and their hair tickled the side of his face.

"Malfoy! Malfoy!" the face said. "Are you alright?"

Draco blinked and focused on the face and slackened when he registered the wide amber eyes looking down at him with horror and concern, the small and slightly upturned nose and the pretty pink mouth of Ginny Weasley. The light shone like a halo around her coppery head, and she was pure fire. In his daze, he laughed to himself.

"Oh no... get the mediwitch," she called out to someone out of his eyeline. Then she touched him and it was like every nerve in his body reawakened and reacted to it, each one electrifying like lightning in a wild storm. "Stay awake, Malfoy," she said, her voice almost panicked, but he couldn't understand why when all he felt was an intense want for her pulsing through him.

"I'm awake... Merlin, I've never been more awake..." he trailed off, his head hurting as he attempted to move it off the floor and kiss her. A foolish move as it was anyway, but he could be forgiven for such trespasses when his mind was recovering from being thumped into next week. "If you keep touching me, Weasley, I'll be more awake than you've ever seen any man."

"What were you doing?" she asked, ignoring his comment as he suspected it came out as nothing more than an unattractive slur. "What did you get in the way for?"

Draco laughed. "Looked like you needed some help," he muttered, the pain in his head blooming quickly.

"Bloody idiot," she said, shaking her head but there was some triumph to be had. Even in his daze, he could see the smallest smile shirking up at the corner of her lips. "I am perfectly capable of handling men like him... as you learned earlier."

Draco could only chuckle again. Yes, he had learnt as much earlier, but now he needed to sleep despite wanting to stare at her for as long as possible and taking in her sweet scent.

"Malfoy! Stay awake!" her voice called him back and he jolted his eyes back open as her hands went to his chest. "You've probably got concussion, I've seen it so many times before... you have to stay awake."

Draco smirked up at her. "The only thing that will keep me awake now is a kiss, Weasley," he muttered. "Maybe this time you won't bite my tongue."

Weasley stared down at him, concern still evident in her face, but she now bit her lower lip and he had never seen someone look so sexy and nervous at the same time. Though he still could not keep his eyes open and he felt himself drifting away... Then there was that lightning again, and it struck hard and fast as her lips connected with his. Draco's eyes flew open to see her face close to his, her hair framing them and it was pure triumph. Clapping erupted around them and she pulled away abruptly, a blush forming at her throat and creeping up to her cheeks in the most unimaginably show of innocence he had ever seen from a woman. How was this possible? How could it be from a Weasley?

"Señor Malfoy, can you hear me?!" A loud voice brought him back sharply from his content flight on a cloud somewhere in the heavens and brought the pain back with it.

"Yes!" he grumbled. "I'm not deaf!"

"Ah, bien." An older woman replaced Weasley in his line of vision and she had her wand out, pointed at his head. "You took this punch very well, Señor Malfoy! But I fear you have a blackened eye already." For some reason, Draco could hear the humour in the Mediwitch's voice and did not appreciate that at all.

"Yes, yes," he said impatiently. "It's all very amusing! Sort me out so I can get on with my evening..."

The mediwitch tsked in disapproval. "Ay no, no, Señor Malfoy, this cannot be possible," she said, shaking her head. "You have the concussion, you will need to stay in the medical suite tonight."

"I will do no such thing," he reacted immediately, trying to get up and foolishly prove he was fine. But his head was having no such bother caused to it and he sank back to the floor with a groan.

"Don't be stupid, Malfoy! Just go to the medical suite," Weasley came back into his line of vision, her hands on her rounded hips and an authoritative expression on her face. She could look rather intimidating when she wanted, even for someone so tiny as her. Though he could detect something like worry behind the frown and that gave him all the incentive he needed. He could work with that.

Draco sighed heavily. "Fine!" This time he steeled himself to get up, not wanting to be levitated to the medical suite. This would be the height of embarrassment. As he rose, he felt himself sway but he managed to catch himself in time with the help of the mediwitch.

"Bien!" she said happily, letting him steady himself before attempting to walk with her. The crowd applauded again, and this only served to inflame the pain in his head even further. How could such a small woman throw such a powerful punch? "Come, Señor Malfoy, to the medical suite."

Draco grumbled whilst following her out of the bar and wondered at his stupidity. If only he had stayed out of it, Weasley clearly had it in hand, but no he had try and fluff his ego and get involved. It boggled his mind that he would do such a thing in the first place; yes, he had seen men off from his own women, but he had never attempted anything like that before. Now he realised why. All because he needed to satiate his undeniable lust for Weasley... it was truly pathetic. What had he become? What had Astoria done to him that made him so desperate now?

"Ah, Señorita," the mediwitch said as they entered the medical suite and turned to look at him. "You must wait outside while I do my work."

Draco looked behind him to see that Weasley had followed them the entire way there, an anxious expression on her face. Even just looking at her, he knew it wasn't anything that Astoria had done that had caused him to behave as he had never done before. It was Weasley. It baffled him how a woman could cause such a storm within him. "It's fine, she can stay," he muttered, emotionally and physically tired by this point.

Whilst the mediwitch examined him further as he lay upon the surprisingly comfortable hospital bed, Weasley hovered about the room in a state of nervousness. "I am so sorry, Malfoy!" she burst out, unable to contain herself any longer. "I wasn't intending to hit you at all..."

Draco scoffed. "Calm down, Weasley, I'm not dying," he said.

"Here, you must drink this, Señor Malfoy." The mediwitch handed him a cup full of a dark blue potion. "For the head." Draco nodded and gladly gulped the liquid down as though he had never had a drink in his life. Almost immediately, the pain in his head began to melt away into nothingness until he could hear without flinching. The mediwitch continued to mutter spells over him after that, though he was unsure what the purpose of them was.

"Well, I just wanted to apologise, that's all," Weasley said, shifting about on her feet from side to side.

"I will get something for the eye, Señor Malfoy, wait a moment, _por favor_ ," the mediwitch said, scurrying into the adjacent room.

Draco took the opportunity to speak frankly to Weasley without prying eyes and pricking ears. "I could report you for assault, you know, Weasley," he said, sitting back against the bed and folding his arms behind his head in an effort to appear casual. "First, you draw blood, then you cause me significant bruising... it doesn't look good."

Weasley's eyes widened, and the honey-coloured pools filled him with resolve and determination. He had to have those eyes gazing upon him with unadulterated lust and desire, then she would know what he felt. "That was an accident!" she said, gesturing to his face and stepping closer to him so as not to have the mediwitch overhear.

Draco shrugged. "That's as may be, but you biting my tongue wasn't an accident," he pointed out. "That was very deliberate."

Rage burst into the honeyed depths of her eyes and turned them into fire. "You tried to shove your tongue down my throat!" she whispered furiously, her gaze accusatory. "Merlin knows why..."

Draco chuckled. " _Why_?" he whispered back, almost surprised at her ignorance. "You must know what you do to a man, Weasley. I may be a Malfoy, our families may be sworn enemies... But I am still only a man."

Weasley looked perplexed. "What are you saying?" she asked, but she knew. Draco could see it in the way she bit her lip and gave the subtlest step back from the hospital bed.

"Oh, you know exactly what I'm saying, Weasley," he murmured. "I shut myself off for a bloody week trying to shake you and then you go and put yourself on display for me..." Draco couldn't help the pleasurable shudder that tore through him at the memory of her nakedness; the thrill that had ripped through him then came back in sharp relief. "It took every ounce of my willpower not to claim you right there on that bank."

Weasley shook her head, silent, her mouth hanging open in shock as she registered what he had just said. "B-But... I'm a Weasley..." she finished lamely, her shock quickly morphing into something that greatly resembled a house elf caught doing something they shouldn't. "Whatever... it doesn't matter. I apologised and that's that." Weasley made to walk off.

"Oh, no, no, no," he said in a hurry, quickly encircling her wrist with his hand to stop her progress. "You will have dinner with me tomorrow night, Weasley, on my boat."

"I will do no such thing," she said, scoffing in disbelief, attempting to wrench her wrist free from his grip but he was stronger than her.

"Would you rather I report you for assault?" he asked innocently. "The Spanish authorities won't take too kindly to a wayward witch who has a drink problem, especially one who is prone to violence."

Weasley gawped at him, her mouth opening and closing rapidly. "Are you _blackmailing_ me?" she hissed. "Are you that desperate?"

Draco smirked. "How else could I ever hope to get you alone, Weasley?" he asked honestly. "You would never have agreed to join me on my boat otherwise."

"Then take the hint!" she said loudly, tugging against his grip again but failing still.

Draco yanked her closer, causing her to end up leaning over him. "You might enjoy my company, Weasley," he murmured. "And no one back home need ever know."

"You are a complete bastard," she said, still in disbelief at the depths to which he would sink to get a date with her.

"That I have never denied," he said and he pulled her down to steal his second kiss from her in one day. This time he kept his mouth firmly closed. Once he let her go, her face was flushed as though he had already taken her and the anger in her eyes was enough to rile the storm that had been calming. "Six p.m. down at the dock, Weasley," he called out to her as she stalked off. "Wear your sexiest dress."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank you for the reviews! Please review if you enjoyed, they are much appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**ISLA MAGICÁ**

 **THREE**

The clear blue ocean lapped gently against the dock, a light sea breeze accompanied the burning orange sun as it slowly set within the sights of the caldera and Draco stood at the entrance to the steps leading within his boat. Again, he had chosen his attire carefully; a short-sleeve white linen shirt, top button undone, a pair of dark blue chinos shorts and a pair of tan loafers. Also, the black eye she had given him had completely disappeared with the help of Señora Machado.

Draco checked his watch as time crept by and the sun slipped further down the sky. Five past six. Perhaps he had been too aggressive and demanding of her... his confidence may have been a touch too much. Blackmail may have been inadvisable... of course he would never have done such a thing, but in the heat of the moment, he had grasped at any opportunity to be alone with her. The fact that her bright eyes were fixated on him at that moment had done nothing to quell the reckless idea.

Ten past six. She was making him sweat now.

A sharp popping sound made him jerk his head up and look to the end of the wooden path where the dock started. "Fuck," he whispered in awe as he straightened himself up and took in the sight that was Ginny Weasley, recovering herself from the Apparition and then noticing him staring at her, probably with the stupidest look on his face that she had ever seen on a man. She walked purposefully along the dock, a set expression on her face.

When he had told her to wear her sexiest dress, Draco hadn't thought she would take him so seriously. But, Merlin, he was thankful to whomever was up there that she had. She wore strappy black heels to match her black dress, a lovely and sensual sight to behold on her; it fell just below her knees and hugged every curve until the hem ruffled out at her calves, and it was strapless, showing off the unbelievably alluring line of her collarbone and toned arms. She had put her usual tumbling waves of coppery hair into a sleek high bun and coated her lips in the most inviting red. What he wouldn't give right now to have the lipstick smearing his skin.

Once Weasley reached him and stood just beyond the steps as if waiting for him to say or do something, Draco found he was infuriatingly speechless and totally immovable. The way she looked up at him from the dock, a mixture of intrigue and reluctance in her eyes, made him want to kiss her again, make her forget her doubts and enmity. Instead, he forced his brain to kick his legs into moving down the few steps to lead her up into the boat.

"Good evening, Weasley," he managed to say, his voice embarrassingly throaty as he spoke and drew level with her. She didn't respond, so he gestured for her to go ahead of him. As she passed him, his mouth slackened again; the dress was backless too and he could see each freckle he had seen yesterday morning when she had been naked.

"I suppose this is sexy enough for you?" she asked as she ascended the steps, a slight trace of vehemence in her tone. "Should I be flattered? I've heard you're notoriously difficult to please." Then she laughed, more to herself it seemed as she turned when she reached the top of the steps. It was her turn to look down on him. "Though I may as well have come naked, since you have not a gentlemanly bone in your body to turn away when a member of the opposite sex is naked in front of you."

"I see you're tense, Weasley," he replied, ignoring her attempts at mocking him. "Why don't you have a drink?" He gestured for her to go inside.

Weasley glared down at him before huffing and going inside. Draco followed closely behind her after drawing the steps back in and was pleased to see that she was in awe of the interior long enough to forget that she was irate at him. "How can you call this a boat?" she said as she looked around. "This is a yacht, a very expensive one by the looks of it."

Draco did have a tendency to call his yacht a boat, but it essentially was a boat; it floated on water and cut through the waves as any boat would. Though he guessed the luxurious interior was far different from what his wording had conjured up in her imagination. The windows were tinted for privacy and the main salon was all leather and hard wood. At the far end was where he had arranged for them to dine, nearest the spiral staircase leading up to the fly bridge. On the lower deck was the master suite and bathroom. "You are correct, this is a yacht."

Whilst she looked around further, he poured them a glass of wine each and handed one to her. She gave it a sceptical look. "I don't trust you," she said bluntly.

"You don't have to," he replied, taking a sip of his own wine. "Do you think I'm that desperate to lace your drink with potion? You can have mine if you do."

Weasley looked down at the glass and the liquid within it before taking a tentative sip herself. He watched her eyes widen as she tasted it and he revelled momentarily in the joy he saw there. He could feign for a moment that he had caused that joy. "This is lovely," she gasped. "What is it?"

"A vintage, taken from my mother's own personal stock," he answered. "I think it's Spanish, though I don't pretend to be much of a wine connoisseur." He shrugged and took another sip.

"But this must have been worth a fortune before you opened it!" she exclaimed, a look of horror evident in her wide eyes as stared at him like he had suddenly started singing Celestina Warbeck's greatest hits.

"In case you hadn't realised, I have enough money to afford such things," he explained, trying not to sound patronising. "And, evidently, so do you considering you are on this rather exclusive island."

Weasley flushed a little and it made him curious as to why. What was wrong with her having money? "I earn enough to holiday in nice places, not enough for vintage wines and yachts."

"Then perhaps you will enjoy a new experience," he replied. Perhaps that new experience would involve venturing out to sea with him and peeling that scandalous dress off on the front deck. The thought alone made him twitch with anticipation. "Come," he said, placing his wine glass down on a table, "follow me."

Weasley still looked apprehensive, but she followed him all the same, determined to see this through to avoid blackmail. Draco hoped by the end of the evening, that she would want to stay of her own volition and that was the aim of tonight. He led her to the spiral staircase and gestured for her to precede him, mostly so he could watch her beautiful round behind swaying in front of him as she ascended the steps.

"Take a seat," he said as they reached the top, gesturing to the comfortable leather chair beside his.

"Are you steering?" she said, nervous as she looked ahead through the glass shielding.

"Yes, no one else is here except you and I, Weasley, who else is steering?" he murmured, a smirk as he slipped into his seat and fired the boat up. Draco had bought the thing off a wizard, who had enhanced it's many muggle features mostly for speed purposes and concealment. That could come in handy if the mood suddenly took him during the day and they were surrounded by other boats. But, he was getting ahead of himself, he had yet to even convince her to relax around him as yet.

"There's no staff on here?" she asked, turning to look at him, her eyes still wide like a doe. If she kept looking at him like that, he could not be held responsible for what he might do next.

"No," he answered, now moving away from the dock and pushing slowly out towards the middle of the caldera. "I don't need anyone interrupting our date."

"Date?" she squeaked.

Draco laughed. "Did you think this was anything else?"

Weasley didn't speak for a while, so Draco concentrated on getting them out towards the far cusp of the island where it was better secluded. He could see her out of the corner of his eye, sitting so stiffly as she took deep gulps of the wine. "I can't be on a date with you!" she burst out as he pulled to a stop and pressed the button to lower the anchor.

"And why not?" he asked, turning to face her and leaning forward, his legs wide as though entrapping her.

"Y-you're... well, you're you and I'm me," she said, pointing to him and then herself as though to emphasise that very obvious fact. "You fought with Voldemort! You were awful to my friends!"

Draco sat patiently, waiting for her to finish and get this dullness over with. When she stopped listing off all the reasons why he shouldn't want to go on a date with her, he finally spoke. "I have worked tirelessly for various charities involved with helping Muggles affected by the war, I have lobbied and supported many laws – some of them introduced by your own sister-in-law – introducing anti-discrimination and human rights into many aspects of our lives. And, surely you do not cling to the past? What I was as a boy should not be an indicator for how I am as a man."

"You are insanely arrogant," she said, grasping for anything to accuse him of.

"That I will admit to," he conceded. "But my point is that I am not that bigoted and ignorant boy I was at Hogwarts. I've paid for my, and my parents', mistakes tenfold."

Weasley stared at him, suspicion still in her gaze. "I guess you think you can win me over with your good looks and playboy charm? Yes," she smirked as she took in the bemused expression on her face. "Don't think for a second I don't know what you were like before you met what's-her-face? Greengrass. My teammates followed your antics in Witch Weekly with rapture."

Draco scoffed in disbelief. "That was four years ago, and you should know, of all people, that the press enjoy embellishing a story or two. Besides, I'm too old for that now," he said boredly, waving away her words. Then he smirked at her. "But, more importantly. You think I'm good looking?"

Weasley rolled her eyes and stood up. "Where's dinner, then?" she said, forcing him to catch up behind her as she descended the steps.

Draco still held out some hope that this date could be steered toward something more pleasurable. By her own admission, she thought he was good-looking. "We'll be having dinner here," he said, showing her to her seat and pushing her in before sitting down himself.

"Wow," she whispered as she took in the view. The sun was setting in the distance, their view unobstructed by nothing but ocean and the warm orange cast a glow upon her skin as she stared out at it. Her red mouth hung open only slightly and Draco was seized by an urge to take her lips into his own in a rough and passionate kiss. The lust he felt for her was near overwhelming and he knew it would need satisfying sooner or later, otherwise he felt he might go mad. "This is beautiful..." She said quietly, in awe.

Draco distracted himself by conjuring the starters up. He had asked Matías to arrange the dinner for the evening, ready for him to summon when ready, and then he Summoned the vintage wine over to the table and poured her another glass. He would need to ensure he was sober in order to steer back to the dock. They ate in silence for a little while, all through the starters and her second glass of wine until the sun had completely set and a full moon hung low in the sky, casting an ethereal silvery sheen on the ocean.

"Why did Greengrass break off your engagement?" she asked abruptly as he Summoned their main meal. She didn't hold back, it seemed.

"We had different... goals," he replied, not particularly wishing to go into too much detail though he feared he might if he were to convince her to trust him.

"Such as?" she asked, curiosity evident in her expression.

Draco sighed, knowing it would be futile to resist. Besides, he wanted to know why Potter had ended it with her. He must be an even bigger prat to let this siren go. "I wanted children and marriage, she decided she wasn't ready and... that was that," he explained. It made it sound so simple, the way he had carelessly summarised the situation. In truth, it had broken him at the time and it had only been a few months that he felt he had gotten over it. That single experience had made him far warier than he had been with women.

Weasley looked shocked, the food on her fork abandoned as she gasped at him. "That's... surprising," she finished.

"Why?"

"Usually it is the other way around."

"I have reached that natural point in my life in which I feel marriage will make me happy," he told her and he was being honest. "And, I am ready to be a father. Astoria is four years younger than me, it is understandable that she shouldn't wish for children just yet." That was the polite way of putting it, for weeks after the break up, Draco had ranted to himself about how she had led him to believe she was more than ready, that she would be an excellent mother and a perfect mistress to Malfoy Manor. In truth, he believed she had met someone else. "So, why did Potter dump you?"

Weasley visibly winced at his question. "I hate to admit it, Malfoy," she said with some reluctance, obviously not wishing to divulge her secrets to him, "but it was much the same with Harry."

Draco stared. "What? Potter didn't want a family?" he asked, incredulous. "Still trying to live like a hero?" he sneered.

Weasley reddened and poured herself another glass of wine before speaking again. "His work is very demanding," she finally said, the subsequent grimace on her face telling him that even she thought this to be an inadequate excuse. Weasley sighed. "Harry cares more about saving others than working on a relationship. That's not a bad thing," she said hastily. "He is one of the most selfless people I know, that is why he finished it with me. He couldn't commit to being there as a husband or father, so he did the only thing that made sense to him."

"Rubbish," Draco said, a little sharper than he had intended. "Sounds like he is more selfish than you think. To lead you on for that long, and you think he's selfless?"

"Don't start on Harry, Malfoy," she warned.

"I couldn't care less about Potter, I'm just telling you my opinion," he said, shrugging. "I may be arrogant, but at least I know what I want. And I'm not stupid enough to carry on with someone who clearly has a different path."

"You don't know anything about it!" she exclaimed, her voice rising.

"You wanted marriage and children, did you not? He didn't," he said clearly. "I know, because the same damn thing happened to me, Weasley, so stop being so precious about it. Looking like that, you'll have the ring and the baby by next year. Fuck Potter and get on with it."

Weasley blinked, evidently shocked by his words and the way he had spoken them. Draco wondered if Potter had ever spoken to her like that. "Merlin..." she whispered, looking down at her plate, which was now almost empty. "Merlin... you're right..." she laughed nervously then. "What have I been doing? Bloody moping and having an absolutely shit season!"

She picked up her drink and gulped it down quickly, causing Draco to stare at her with incredulity. "OK, Weasley, you don't want to get drunk again, now, do you?"

"I'm not going to get drunk!" she snapped.

"Good, because I'd rather you experience this new found freedom with me in a sober state," he said, finishing off the last of his dinner. "I also don't want you doing anything you will regret and then blame on me in the morning."

"Malfoy, I am not that easy," she said, rolling her eyes.

Draco smirked, remembering the week before when she had been so willing to submit to him in her drunken state. But he kept quiet about that now, it would only be detrimental to his chances to bring that up in detail. "I don't sleep with easy women, I prefer a challenge," he murmured.

"Is that your game, then?" she asked smoothly. "To get me into bed with you and brag about it with your friends when you get back home?"

Draco laughed again, this time it was a low sound in his throat as he took her in. His eyes hungry for her again, to see that dress pulled down, exposing those lovely, full breasts to his waiting mouth once more. "I think you know what you're doing to me," he muttered, gazing at her still and cursing the table between them. "Why else would you wear this if not to tease me?"

"You told me to wear something sexy," she said defensively. "And you didn't answer my question."

"Oh, Weasley, you'd be my little secret – too good to tell anyone else..." he drawled. "Why would I want to share? And I didn't expect you to go through with my request – it was a joke. Did you really think I'd blackmail you?"

Weasley stared open-mouthed at him. "You... you were joking?" she asked, disbelieving.

"Do you really think I would get away with blackmailing someone?" he frowned at her. "When the Malfoy name has been dragged through the mud for the past ten years? That would have gone down very well."

"Then why lie?" she asked, her ire beginning to bubble to the surface like a simmering potion.

"How else would I have gotten you alone?" he asked simply.

Weasley continued to look at him in disbelief. "What do you want from me, Malfoy?" she said, her amber eyes searching his face for the truth, though there was a little trepidation there too. "Are you trying to play games with me?"

"I've already told you, I'm past all that immature shit," he said in a firm voice, his eyes fixed on her. "All I want is you in my bed, Weasley, and that's the honest truth."

Weasley took another hefty sip of her wine. "Why?"

"Merlin, do I have to spell it out for you?!" he said loudly, standing from the table and gesturing at her as she continued to look oblivious. "You don't understand how much willpower I've been using up, just trying to stop myself from taking you!"

"Taking me?" she paled.

"You'd be mine for the summer, Weasley, make no mistake," he said assuredly, spurred on by the fact that she hadn't Apparated just yet. "Once will not be enough, I can tell already."

"You think very highly of yourself," she said, baleful as she looked past him into the moonlight. "And I don't know what makes you believe I will even give in like some kind of fictional romantic heroine... this is real life, Malfoy."

Draco smiled as he looked down at her. "You haven't left yet," he replied. "You're intrigued, at least."

Weasley rolled her eyes and stood from the table. "I have nothing better to do," she said carelessly.

"So you'd rather spend an evening with someone you consider an enemy?" he asked, following her back into the main salon. "That makes perfect sense."

"I don't have to explain myself to you," she said.

Draco caught up with her and grasped her arm, spinning her round to face him. The look of anger in her eyes did nothing but send a wave of heat through his body, that fever igniting in his blood again as he understood what Matías had meant by calling her an inferno. She consumed everything in her path, and at this moment, he was in direct sight of her and unwilling to move. "Oh, you don't need to, little nymph," he murmured. "I already know... after a lifetime with Potter, you're ready to taste something different. You're just too much of a coward to admit it."

You would think he had slapped her by the shocked look on her face. "Coward?" she said in anger. "I'm a coward? There is nothing for me to admit to! I came here because my low opinion of you led me to believe you would follow through with your threats, not because I am burning with desire for you!"

Draco only smiled down at her. "Again, why are you still here then?" he asked calmly. "I have already assured you I wouldn't be blackmailing you, there is nothing holding you here."

Weasley stared up at him and he knew she was intrigued by his words, he knew she didn't trust him but that she had understood what he said earlier. That she clung to the past. Draco also knew she would never admit to it, so he did the only thing he thought would entice her to remain on the boat with him. He kissed her. The fever reached a tipping point as he pulled her to him, his hands on her bare back, then at her neck, everywhere, and he knew she was in control of which way it would tip. But he had to hide that, she couldn't know she had power over him, she had to see him as the one in control. A woman like Ginny Weasley needed someone who wasn't afraid to treat her like a woman, to exert power over her in matters of the bedroom.

She tried to push against him for a moment or two, noises of resistance in her throat as he held the back of her neck, taking away her ability to turn from him. Draco held her tighter about the waist, making certain that she couldn't flee either. Mere moments passed until she slackened, but this time it was different from when she had bitten him. The hands acting as a barrier on his chest slid upwards to settle around his own neck, allowing him to pull her closer, her breasts firmly pushed against his chest, and her noises of resistance changed to little sighs of pleasure. Draco threw all caution to the wind and deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding over her lower lip, encouraging her to let him in and, Merlin, she did. The storm burst within him and the wildfire returned as he tasted her sweetness and the alcohol she had been drinking, her hot mouth too much for him to bear any longer.

Draco left her mouth and briefly looked into her eyes, even though they were half-closed he could see the smallest sliver of want in the bright amber pools. Though he was unsure how tipsy she might be from the wine, the want in her eyes was enough. He growled with desire as he nuzzled her neck, his teeth finding her soft skin and he relished in the gasp he caused when he bit down on her, marking her again, claiming her. The need to own her was so irrational, Draco couldn't understand it, all he knew was that he had to answer it otherwise something terrible would happen. His body knew it before his brain and the familiar uncomfortableness in his shorts was returning with a vengeance; he needed her now, it went deeper than just wanting and it would have scared him if his mind could focus on anything other than her.

"We mustn't," he heard her whisper, urgency in her voice, fear. "Malfoy, we mustn't!"

Draco growled again, this time with displeasure as he heard her resistance and he tightened his grip on her, unwilling to let her go. He needed her. "Don't call me that," he muttered before kissing her throat again, this time with gentleness. Perhaps his lust had carried over too much, overwhelmed her. "Say my name," he murmured in her ear before kissing her lips again, the red of her lipstick beautifully smeared as he had caused it. "Say my name, little nymph."

Weasley sighed against his mouth and kissed him back, despite herself, despite her reluctance. "Draco," she whispered, and the merest mutter of his name on her lips sent him back into a heated fever, and he kissed as he wanted to earlier, rough and passionate. How could he be gentle with a woman such as her? A woman made from fire. A woman made for passion. But Weasley turned her face away, even as her sighs grew louder and her fingers curled into his short hair. "We can't do this," she said quietly, insisting.

Draco buried his face into her neck again, drinking in her flowery scent. "You can't deny the attraction now, Weasley," he whispered against her throat and she shivered at the feel of his cool breath on her skin. What he wouldn't give to have her shivering with pleasure beneath him, encased in the silken sheets of the bed below deck. "Your blood is pumping so fast, you can't deny you want this."

"It doesn't matter what I want," she said, her tone firm now. "We can't be together. Whatever you say about our past, it cannot change the fact that our friends and family will vilify us for even associating with each other!"

Draco looked at her, the fear in her eyes as apparent as it was in her voice. "No one will ever know, little nymph, it'll be our guilty secret," he whispered as he brushed his knuckles over her freckled cheek. Her eyes widened at such a suggestion. "There is no one else on this island who knows us back home."

Weasley pulled away from him, shaking her head as she turned her back on him. She seemed rooted to the spot, staring out at the opposite end of the boat towards the island. The hotel was basked in the glow of the moonlight, making it shine amongst the fauna and trees. Draco stepped closer to her again, he had to be near her, had to feel the warmth from her body reaching for his. It maddened him that he had never had this reaction to a woman before, not even Astoria and, what was worse, this woman was painfully reluctant. He had never experienced that before either; women had generally been easy to fall into his arms and into his bed. Unable to resist for much longer, Draco touched his fingers to her shoulder, tracing a line along the sharp curve of her bone and letting his hand fall gently down her bare back.

"I know you're scared..." he whispered against the back of her neck as he placed gentle kisses there. "But you don't strike me as someone who runs away when you're scared. Better to face it. Better to give in now rather than later, little nymph."

"Give in?" she asked quietly.

Draco smiled into her skin. "Yes," he whispered. "Let me show you what it feels like to give in." He stood in front of her again, his hand grasping her chin to guide her gaze to his own and their eyes met. Her lashes brushed her cheeks as she looked up at him, her eyes wide as she took him in, but he could sense she wanted to let go. If only she could be given a gentle push. "Forget everyone else, it's just you and me here, little nymph. And I know you want to..." He smirked down at her before kissing her again, her mouth parted almost as soon as his lips touched hers and he growled with urgent want in response to her own unrestrained moan. Her tongue slid over his and all restraint left him at that point.

Draco reached down and felt for the material of her dress, only to pull it down and expose her to him for a third time and now she stood half-naked before him in his arms. It was more than he could stand for much longer and the urgency he felt in his shorts tautened even further as her nimble fingers found his shirt buttons and undid them one by one, allowing her hardened nipples to brush against the skin of his torso. The feeling sent him wild with lust, wilder than he had been up to that point and he completely gave into his primal senses, leaving his logical self behind until he was satiated.

He yanked her dress down completely now, letting her step out of it so he could cast it aside and he had to admire the picture before him. Weasley stood in her tiny black knickers and heels, the darkened look in her eyes spurring him back into action. Draco lifted her into his arms, laughing low at the gasp he elicited from her as her feet left the ground. He placed her on the table in the kitchen area and immediately dropped his head to her breasts, unable to wait much longer to taste her body, he had been resisting this for a week and ignoring his urges. Now they wanted payment.

Her reaction to his caresses and mouth were more than he could have ever anticipated; she sighed at the right moments, touched him where he liked, and drew him into her, entrapped by her athletic legs he couldn't think of a better place to be right now. Except, perhaps the sumptuous bed below deck.

"Come," he murmured, kissing her mouth before pulling away. "Come, little nymph." Draco held his hand out to her and she took it without hesitation, her own small hand in his felt perfect and he wondered if he would feel perfect inside her. She slid off the table and allowed him to lead her downstairs, the warmth of her hand assuring him that this was right. That this was the only possible outcome.

They could still hear the sound of the water lapping against the boat, even in the bedroom and it was soothing to hear only that. They were safe from the world, safe from the gossip in this secluded part of the ocean. They could let it happen without fear of consequence and go back to their normal lives. Without provocation, Weasley slid onto the large bed, it's hugeness overwhelming her petite body and it made him feel as though he needed to protect her. From what, he wasn't particularly sure, but it was that base, primal instinct that was taking over his mind again and there wasn't much logic to any of his feelings at the moment.

Draco leant over her and let himself be intoxicated by her, her mouth on his, her hands on him and her just everywhere. He freed himself of his shorts, relishing in the relief removing them had caused and returned to the worship he was giving to her skin, each part of her was like some sacred deity that needed his touch to save himself from the lust that was driving him senseless. He dared sweep his hand under the slinky material of her knickers to connect with the very centre of her body, his touch immediately making her moan with satisfaction, her fingers curling into his skin and her hips bucking to meet him. She sighed and sighed as his fingers toyed with her and his mouth burned on her hardened nipples, until he could take no more waiting.

"Take them off," he growled at her, almost too demanding, as he pulled on her knickers, the only barrier between him and heaven.

Weasley complied, standing to remove them as she discarded the material on the floor somewhere. Seeing those red, coppery curls at the apex of her thighs drew out all control from him then, if he'd had any left, and he grasped both her hands to pull her on top of him as he laid back against the soft silken sheets. If the sight of her naked hadn't sent him into lustful madness, the sight of her naked and straddling him was enough to do the damage. That and the now painful hardness he felt below was agonisingly touching her moist heat.

He yanked her down to him so he could kiss her sweet, smeared mouth. "Tell me what you want, little nymph," he whispered, rocking his hips to extract every ounce of pleasure from her that he could. The feel of her was phenomenal and he knew he would need to pace himself otherwise this experience could end quicker than he wanted it to.

She groaned just as he had wanted her to, her eyes shutting as he continued to rock against her. "I want..." She trailed off, her voice high but quiet, struggling to speak. "I want you!" she finally bit out, sitting up again.

That was all Draco needed to hear and her permission was enough for him to adjust himself and slide deeply into her. It was his turn to shut his eyes now and let his other senses work, deeper and deeper he went, luxuriating in the heat within her and grasping at her hips as she moved onto him. But he couldn't let her have control of this, he couldn't allow her to think he was happy to settle down and let her do all the work. No matter how ridiculously amazing it felt.

He snapped his eyes open and sat up, holding her around the waist and switching their positions in one swift movement. Now he could watch her shiver beneath him... And he was relentless, he couldn't be anything else, he had to take her. She clutched at him, moaning in his ear as he ravaged her throat and her ankles tightened around his waist, her moaning growing louder and louder with each thrust. Then his hands were touching her, her full breasts and hardened nipples, and then to her most sensitive part where he circled his fingers there, savouring the feel of the wetness he was creating and the feel of himself so deep inside her. His touches were enough to send her body into a state, and she arched into him, near shrieking as he felt her clench tightly around him, her legs trembling as she fell into the pleasure.

It was enough for him to let her body rest from his hands and now he could focus on his own release, and he was determined. So determined to do this, he had to have her in the most carnal and base way imaginable.

"Kiss me..." She whispered suddenly, her breath ragged as her amber eyes stared up at him, her lashes damp from sweat. How could he refuse? Why would he want to refuse? Merlin, she was gorgeous with her hair falling out of the bun and her body moving with his.

Draco leant over her again, his hand at her neck and he could feel her pulse raging, a fever in her blood just as much as in his. As he drove into her over and over, he captured her mouth with his and groaned as he finally found his own release, invigorating and draining all at once and he knew then that he had succeeded. The animal inside him had claimed her, just as it had always known it would.


	4. Chapter 4

**ISLA MAGICÁ**

 **FOUR**

Draco awoke to the sound of birds squawking in the distance, his eyes opening slowly as he took in the sunshine glaring on the wooden floor through the open cabin door which led up to the main deck. He realised he was completely naked above the sheets, his legs sprawled out and a weight on his chest. Draco looked down, saw a flash of red and the night before flooded back to him with sharp clarity. Ginny Weasley was asleep on his chest, her arm flung out across him and her own naked body pressed against his.

With his mind clear and logical, free from the beast he had come to associate with lust, Draco could make better sense of the situation. He had managed to seduce Ginny Weasley, against his own better judgement and understanding of their worlds. Somehow they had come together and created an almighty bonfire, a bonfire that they could not resist looking at or touching despite the knowledge that they could both get terribly burned. Draco was unsure of what could come of this union – it would be their secret, as he had said, no one ever needed to know they had lost their heads whilst on holiday. This he knew, but even now he could feel the stirrings of want curling up within him as he felt the softness of her skin close to his. One night was supposed to be enough and that would be the end of it, though this response he was having to her now was not what he had expected at all.

What did it matter? He thought to himself, they were here and now, they had both suffered heartbreak and should enjoy the moment until they had to return to their normal lives. It had taken him a while to admit Astoria had broken his heart, he had wanted to marry her, he had wanted her to be the mother of his children despite his parent's silent disapproval. They had been together four years, they had spoken of those things but, when it came down to it, she hadn't been ready. Their relationship had suffered as a result of her trying to hide the fact that she wasn't ready, but he had never expected her to return his ring and blame the end of it all on him, on his past. With Ginny Weasley, he could absolve himself of all those strings he had tied to his heart before and lose himself in her until it was time to find a suitable wife and mother, until it was time for him to return home. This would truly be his guilty pleasure, a time he could return to in his imagination when life got boring and he needed the fire to wake him up.

Weasley began stirring and he decided it might be better for her to wake on her own – he feared she may have been tipsy last night and, subsequently, may not awaken in a good mood. She could awaken filled with regret and he found that he could not face seeing that in her eyes. Draco extricated himself from her as gently as possible before throwing on a pair of pyjama pants and ascending the steps to the main salon. He decided that he would attempt to make breakfast, this might put her in a good enough mood to allow him to steal another kiss from her at least before she realised she had made a grave mistake.

Draco knew he had to get the frying pan going so he lit the hob underneath using his wand and busied himself with buttering the bread manually as he had no idea how to do this using magic, he also had to crack the eggs manually as, again, he had no idea what to do otherwise. "Shit!" he hissed as the eggs hit the frying pan and immediately broke open, the heat from the pan making them sizzle and blacken. "Bollocks..."

"Used to getting all that done for you, are you?" he heard her mocking voice come from behind him.

Draco turned to see her standing at the top of the stairs wrapped in the sheets, and her face flushed as their eyes met. It was an unspoken acceptance of the fact that they had shared a bed last night, proof that she had submitted to him despite the independence and empowered strength she usually exuded. And, Merlin, did she look ravishing... perhaps even more than when she had worn that dress for him. With her hair mussed up and tumbling over her shoulders and the huge sheet wrapped around her small frame, he felt that protective urge come over him again as she looked so utterly vulnerable. Draco swallowed hard, pushing such thoughts from his mind. "As a matter of fact, yes," he replied simply.

Weasley rolled her eyes. "Get me something to wear and I'll do breakfast," she said. The Weasley she was to everyone else had returned, the strong and resolute Weasley so far removed from what she had been last night, unsure and submissive.

Draco complied with her demand, mostly because he was hungry and not willing to return to the hotel where prying eyes could see them. He found a short dressing gown for her to wear, one of his own which had the Malfoy family crest on the breast pocket. She scoffed when she saw it, but said nothing as she pulled it on and rolled up the sleeves, careful not to show her nakedness to him again he noticed. Then he watched her get to work, and it was like watching an orchestra conduct a beautiful symphony.

He sat down at the kitchen table, watching her wave her wand this way and that, clearing away the mess he had made and creating what turned out to be perhaps the best breakfast he had ever tasted. Weasley was a true master and he briefly wondered what it would be like to have her cook for him more than once, but this was quelled abruptly. He could not think past this summer.

"You'd make someone an excellent housewife, Weasley," he said as he finished off the last of his hash browns, sitting back against the chair and patting his stomach.

"Wow, that must have hurt to give me a compliment, Malfoy," she said, sarcasm in her voice.

Draco had to stop himself from cringing at the use of his last name; he had told her to call him by his first name last night, as using his surname only reminded him of his father. That was not an ideal name for his lover to be using. That very thought made him baulk – lover? It had only been one night and it didn't seem likely that she would give into him again. Though, he thought to himself, it would be a shame to let her slip away from his bed. "I'd rather you didn't call me that, it sounds like you're talking to my father," he finally said before taking a sip of the fresh orange juice she had made. Even that was bloody perfect.

"You keep calling me Weasley," she replied with a shrug, returning to her breakfast. " Besides, I'm not a housewife. I have a job."

"What would you rather I call you?" he asked. "Little nymph?" he said with a chuckle.

She stared at him, her eyes telling him so much more than her words ever could and he knew she was thinking back to the night before when he had used that nickname. The pink blush that tinged her cheeks gave her away once again. "Ginny is fine," she said evenly.

"Shall I save 'little nymph' for our more... ah, private encounters?" he asked, leaning forward onto the table, testing her boundaries as she mercilessly blushed again. "Merlin, if you keep blushing like that... I'll not think twice about taking you on the deck."

Weas- no, Ginny looked at him through her lashes, those long, dark lashes, her eyes filled with a mix of trepidation and hidden desire. That was all he needed, a glimmer of want, to know that he could grasp the back of her neck and pull her in to capture her mouth with his own. Why couldn't he control himself around her? It was almost pathetic. It was also just that little bit scary too.

"Stop... stop!" she gasped out, turning her face away from him until she was certain that he would desist.

"What's the problem?" he murmured in her ear, his breath fluttering at her wavy hair. "It's just a kiss, nothing compared to what you gave me last night."

"Oh, don't you dare start that persuasive chat with me again," she warned, firing up as her eyes met his in a blaze of amber. "You're very good with your words, but I won't fall into that trap again."

Draco laughed and brushed his knuckles against her cheek briefly. "Relax," he said calmly. "And I didn't persuade you to do anything you didn't already want to do. Let's just get past the inevitable; admit you enjoyed it, admit you want it again. Forget all the shit about who we are. It doesn't matter who we are when we are here."

She stared at him, gawped at him. "I never said I wanted it again," she said defensively, crossing her arms in a futile attempt to create a barrier between them. Her show of strength faltered however when he gazed hard into her eyes, she was a canvas of emotions and he was excellent at reading a picture. Draco could see by the way she looked away from his stare, and bit her lip nervously, that she told a lie.

Draco smirked at her. "You don't have to say," he replied. "Your face speaks for you. But I won't push." He sat casually back into the chair and relaxed, playing the calm and collected part when he really wanted her to lay herself bare for him again.

Ginny looked at him for a moment and then forced her gaze elsewhere, and Draco knew she was trying to hide that she felt an attraction too. There was no hiding it, it was too palpable to hide from anyone, let alone themselves. "Oh, you read Maximillian Dempsey?" she asked, her eyes returning to his with a look of surprise on her face.

Draco glanced at the small bookshelf near the staircase and mentally kicked himself for being so arrogant as to have his own bloody books on display. "Yes, I've read them," he said casually.

"I love them," she said, enthusiasm brightening her eyes even more than they already were. "The characters are so well written – they could be real people. It was actually one of those books that inspired me to come here." Draco was happy to receive praise for his works, but it felt different coming from her. As though it meant more. She blushed then, and Draco wondered if she did this on purpose. If she knew what she was doing to him by just being. "Sorry," she muttered, "my problems aren't your problems."

"We've both come here because of our problems, to find a solution, to find reason," he replied, suppressing the urge to take her in his arms. That was not right at all. Sex was only sex, it wasn't cuddling and talking. And Draco tried to think of something indifferent to say, tried to be aloof, but this woman made it impossible. "It is only logical to want to talk to someone about them."

Ginny looked back at him, a hundred emotions crossing her face. The difficulty he was feeling about what was going on between them played out on her face so beautifully, he wondered that there was a difficulty. But that was a dangerous path to walk down and he had never been courageous enough to deviate. Yes, he had taken a little shortcut with her last night, but he couldn't push further through the thorns and brambles into an unknown world.

"I need to go back to my room," she said, standing up with an air of sudden urgency and all he had thought about seconds before fell apart. Ginny had made the decision before he could and he realised with crashing certainty that he didn't like the idea of leaving their shortcut so soon.

"Now?" he asked, standing with her and following her back down to the bedroom. "You are welcome to stay."

Ginny shook here head, not even looking at him now. "I can't stay," she said, her voice strained.

"And why not?" he asked, stopping her progress through the room as she retrieved her strewn clothing. He stood tall over her, his eyes gazing down into her own wide eyes, that doe-like expression on her face again.

"Because I've paid an arm and a leg for that hotel suite," she said, pointing in the general direction of the island. "I cannot afford to spend time away from it again."

"Cancel your suite then," he said in a moment of pure idiocy, his brain essentially losing control at that point at the thought of her not being in such close proximity to him again. The only way he could control this thing was to have her near, or so he thought. "Cancel it and stay in mine."

"What?" she said, the look on her face clearly showing her surprise at such a request as her brow knitted together in confusion, her mouth parting just that little bit in shock.

Draco turned from her, agitated at the loss of his logical faculties and dragged a hand through his hair as he attempted to make sense of this. There was no damn sense to this. "You heard," he said in a low voice, turning back to her again and unable to retract his previous words. "Stay in my suite."

"Have you lost your mind?" she asked in all seriousness. "I can't stay in your suite, this can't happen again. Don't you understand?"

"No," he answered, "there isn't anything to understand aside from the knowledge that I want you."

Ginny appeared to be dumbfounded as she bit her lip nervously, sorting through her thoughts. "You've already had me," she finally said, and it actually hurt him to detect a little shame in her tone.

Draco grasped her to him, his hands at her waist to delay her departure as long as possible. He needed her to realise that there had to be more. "And I don't think I could entertain the idea of not having you a second time," he said in a gruff voice, his need for her throwing civilised speech to the wind.

"And then what?" she said, sighing heavily. "A third time? A fourth? It cannot continue. I won't allow it – Merlin knows what my parents would think of me, my brothers... No. I can't allow this."

Draco realised at this point that it could do no good to keep a hold of her, she would only resist and possibly hex him. No good would come of that. So he released his hold on her. "You came to this island seeking a solution to your problems. Maybe your problem is that you try to emulate Potter and act selfless; your problem is that you are not made to be selfless, little nymph... You were made like the rest of us and it's Potter's loss that he can't see that."

He left her then, standing there and looking as though he had hit her. Draco had half-expected her to lash out at him as he had brought up Potter, but she seemed too shocked by the bluntness of his words. Perhaps she had never been spoken to in such a way, but he knew it was the truth. Living by Potter's standards was unmanageable and he had been a fool to let her slip through his fingers because of his apparent selflessness.

The sound of her Apparating drew him out of his thoughts and left only a cold and empty void in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

A couple of days had since passed and Draco had taken to remaining in his suite again, lamenting at his own foolishness for believing that one night with her would be enough. All he craved was her touch, it was all he could think about; the smoothness of her skin, the pale glow of it and the freckles carelessly strewn over her arms and back, and across her nose. The brightness of her eyes when she was in anger and in lust. It all flooded back to him with sharp clarity and he knew he might have been better off abstaining from her in the first place.

How could any good have come from this? He often wondered that and hadn't come to any sort of conclusion as yet since there had been something very good. The very remembrance of what it felt like to be buried deep within her was enough for him to know it had been more than good. Everything else that had happened after still could not tarnish it and he burned to hold her again, to have her at his mercy.

What was causing him the greatest feeling of aggravation now was the newest arrivals to the hotel, spotted from his balcony, fawning over Ginny by the pool. Of course they would, Matías had even warned him of such an occurrence. But that had been before he realised the full scale of her, before he realised how much of an intoxicant she could be. Now it was of greatest importance that they believe Ginny was not theirs to claim. He had already claimed her, that primal thing inside him knew that and it urged him to claw her back, to bring her to her senses and fill her again and again until she realised that there could be no one else.

Another dangerous thought. A thought that took him beyond the island.

But the thought wouldn't disappear and it was frustrating. Usually he could deftly pick and choose what he would think about at any given moment and put those unwanted thoughts away until a more convenient time came along to sort through them. Draco knew there was no convenient time now, his time was limited here, as was hers. With that in mind, he called on the concierge.

"Matías, take my finest linen suit, get it cleaned and pressed ready for this evening," he said.

"Señor will be leaving his room tonight?" he asked, a knowing smile on his face. "These new hombres are giving you the jealousy, Señor?"

Draco pursed his lips, he could barely acknowledge he was jealous to himself let alone to a near stranger. "I only wish to dine downstairs this evening."

Matías tapped his nose and winked. "Sí, Señor, dinner downstairs, Sí." He then left Draco on the balcony to do as he was asked, making Draco wonder why he should be so jealous. But this was an absurd question. Especially after experiencing what her body had done to him, what her rejection had done to him. There was no why, no rhyme or reason, there was only the urgent desire now to show her that she belonged to him. If only on this island at least.

His suit was returned to him later that afternoon, it was a vivid blue and suitable for the warm evening he would be spending in the bar. Hopefully she would be there and hopefully this time he wouldn't get a black eye. Draco ate his dinner in a rush, not wishing to linger in the restaurant for too long especially as he was impatient to see her, to speak with her, anything. Finally, he was able to move into the bar with a full stomach, though he felt his chest constrict as he spotted Ginny almost immediately.

She was up on the dancefloor, though mercifully not with another man, and joining in with the entertainment staff and other guests doing the signature dance. Personally, he had thought it was worthy of second hand embarrassment when he had first seen the guests joining in, but seeing her do it gave him an incomprehensible urge to go up there himself and show them all how it should be done. Absurd. Absolutely absurd.

That was one urge he was very willing to suppress, so he went to the bar, ordered a Firewhiskey and stood there whilst he downed it. And another. And another for good measure. What he needed it for, Draco was unsure, he just knew a little bit of Dutch courage was in order as now he had competition. Something which he was not used to when in pursuit of a woman as they always dropped whomever they had hanging on for him, so this was totally alien to him.

The dance ended and the crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause as the staff and guests who joined in bowed happily before dispersing. The staff would go and prepare for the evening's main entertainment now, something which Draco had never enjoyed on holiday so he wasn't fussed about seeing whatever they had planned. He spotted Ginny's flash of coppery curls weaving through the crowd as she made her way over to the bar, only to stop when her eyes fell on him.

The exchange that passed between them burned bright, and it was then that Draco knew she felt it too. There was no way in hell she couldn't feel it, the fire and the shock of a storm all in one gaze. His own heart raced with anticipation, his blood pumping and heightening his senses and all they wanted was to sense her. But then she walked the other way, bypassing him and coming to halt at the other end of the bar.

Draco stared after her in disbelief. How could she ignore it? How? Ginny Weasley was a true puzzle that he struggled to piece together, she defied all logic and reason. He would have to take control again, it was the only way she responded to him. He ordered a white wine, their best, and pushed his way through the other guests at the bar to reach her. She was sat on a bar stool, an empty wine glass already beside her and immediately her eyes found his once more. Draco didn't fail to notice the slump of her shoulders, but this would not deter him.

"I take it you are going to persist?" she asked simply.

Draco leaned against the bar in front of her and placed the wine glass down. "No," he replied. "I bought you a drink." He gestured to the wine, for which she briefly thanked him for. "I only came over to talk. You and I are the only native English speakers here, after all."

Ginny considered the wine glass, her fingers going to the stem before she lifted it to her mouth to sip. Draco sensed that she would rather have taken a more significant gulp. "There are many others who can speak decent English, maybe you should try mingling."

"I have no desire to mingle," he replied, never taking his eyes off her. "If you do not wish me to talk to you, then I won't."

Ginny took another, deeper sip of her wine, as if to hide the emotions on her face. The woman was so torn she may as well be in two places – she was frightened of the attraction she felt between them, but she wanted to test it at the same time. "You can stay," she finally said. "But I don't want you trying anything again."

Draco smiled. "Little nymph..." He murmured, chuckling. "I didn't try anything last time, you wanted it just as much as I did. How else did you end up in my bed?"

"It would be great if you could keep your voice down," she whispered. "Especially if you are going to speak so explicitly! And you practically talked me into bed."

Draco laughed properly this time, resisting the urge to brush his hand over her cheek. "Which wouldn't have worked if you didn't want it," he replied, quieter this time at her request. "Let us move on from that, in any case. I will admit that I may have persuaded you at least a little, and you will admit that you wanted it. Then we can move on."

Ginny scoffed. "I don't need to admit anything to you," she said with the smallest of smiles curving her mouth upwards.

"Then to yourself," he said. "You can't lie to yourself, otherwise how can you believe in anything you do?"

Ginny stared at him. "You took that from Dempsey's book!" she accused, pointing at him for good measure.

Draco kept his face smooth, but mentally kicked himself for being so stupid. "It's a good line," he said with a shrug. "And one that applies to you, it would seem."

"I got the impression you had only read them casually," she said, an eyebrow quirking upwards as she gave him a sceptical look. "To quote them means you must have read them more than once."

Or written them, he thought to himself with irony. "I just have a good memory," he said, shrugging again, keeping nonchalant. "And have you got them memorized?"

Ginny's cheeks darkened with a blush. "Not on purpose," she replied, fiddling with her wine glass. "I've read them so many times – they've been helpful this year." A strained look appeared on her face for only a moment, but she did herself of it just as quickly as it came.

"I thought you had a thousand family members you could go to with your problems, I wouldn't have thought you needed a book to tell you," he said, and he wasn't mocking her at all. He wanted to know how his books could have possibly brought her here, a fact that she hadn't elaborated on a couple of days ago. When he had written those books, there was no intentional message or hidden meaning – it was just stories he had in his head. But then he remembered writing the second one, and that was during the time Astoria began to change, when their relationship had changed. A lot of that emotion ended up in the book. It essentially drained it out of him and now he was unable to complete his three book deal.

Ginny bit her lower lip, her brows coming together as she obviously wondered if she should really spill her problems on Draco Malfoy, of all people. "I couldn't go to my family – they love Harry!" she burst out, a fire igniting in her eyes as she spoke. "They love me, yes, but they were obsessed with it working out. It was always what I should do to keep him happy, that I should let him have some space for his work, that I should concentrate on my work too. I shouldn't pressure him because of his job, on and on and on. I know they meant well, I know they wanted him to propose to me as much as I did, but it wasn't the kind of advice I needed." Ginny paused and took a larger gulp of her wine. "My game suffered, it suffers still. Not because I am so desperate to have him back, Merlin no, but because of the pressure from my family. Now they tell me I must win him back. Those books, more the second one, helped me realise that I needed to think about me and no one else, that if he doubted being with me then why would I bother considering him again? I'm not here because I'm trying to get over Harry, that happened ages ago, I think it happened the moment he ended it. I'd already been getting the feeling for months before that he was not completely invested in me."

Draco let her finish, let her drink her wine again and relax after her outburst. "Potter is a massive prat," he said once she seemed calm. "If your family can't see that he doesn't deserve you, then there is something deeply wrong with them." Draco was completely confused at why Potter would not want this woman to be his wife, to bear his children. She was from good wizarding stock, she would have given him a large family if he had wanted that. It was obvious that she would protect whomever she loved with fierce rage and relentless pursuit, how Potter could give that up was utterly mind-boggling. On top of all that, she was effortlessly beautiful.

"I never thought I'd hear you say something like that to me, let alone to anyone for that matter," Ginny said, surprised, another look appearing on her face as though she was truly seeing him for the first time.

"Like I said, I'm not the boy I was," he replied in a firm tone.

Ginny gave him an appraising look, surprising him and sending a jolt to his navel at what that look could mean. "I know you're not a boy anymore," she said quietly, her gaze fixed on his as she leaned closer to him, another thrill of anticipation running through him like a crashing waterfall. "Aren't you going to ask me to dance?" she whispered as she slid off her stool.

"Dance?" he asked, looking down at her and seeing a blazing look of lust behind her long lashes. He hadn't even realised music had started. He'd rather take her to his suite and ravish her on his bed, or on the balcony, anywhere.

She smirked and it turned out to be the sexiest thing he had ever seen on her so far. "Yes, I'd love to dance," she said, and she took his hand and led him away from the bar. Draco could only follow behind her, watching as her hips swayed when she walked with purpose and allowing himself to be taken off on a tidal wave of desire. But he couldn't allow her to lead, she had to realise that he took control in these things – there was no deference involved when it came to sex for him.

Draco took the lead now when it came to weaving through the throng of guests who had decided to spectate and watch the other guests dancing. Because this wasn't a dance, this was part of the sex and he had known it the moment she had looked at him with dark lust in her eyes. She couldn't have chosen a better time to ask for a dance, the music was sensual enough for him to get her excited, for him to get excited and he could dance when he wanted to.

They spoke nothing to each other for the entirety of the song, their bodies pressed together in a wanton rhythm, their eyes nowhere else but each other, their hands holding on to each other as if afraid they might be wrenched apart. Draco knew there were other couples dancing a tad more lascivious than they were by what he had seen before all he could look at was Ginny, but even he knew he was testing the boundaries of decency when he caught her mouth with his own. He tasted the wine and the Firewhiskey he had earlier as her tongue slid over his and she moaned ever so quietly as he deepened the kiss. Her body pressed into his, moving with the rhythm and it was more than he could stand, her body touching his most sensitive parts and his mouth on hers was a certified way of exciting him even further than he already was. Therefore he was not surprised when he growled with impatience at the twitch he felt in his trousers again.

Ginny giggled against his mouth. "Do you want to take me upstairs?" she whispered.

That giggle, that fucking giggle... His senses overflowed with her and all he could do was nod, for he feared he would tell her exactly what he would do to her upstairs.

"You must wait for the song to finish, then..." She said.

This only caused him to growl again. "You know exactly what you do to me, don't you, little wench?" he muttered in her ear, and then he grasped the side of her neck to expose the other side to his waiting mouth. He had to taste her everywhere, if he couldn't have her right now, then he would taste her at least. Ginny gasped as his teeth sunk into her flesh and he sucked her skin, the softness of it would bruise easily and he relished that fact. She belonged to him, he had every right to mark her as such.

"Upstairs!" she gasped out. "Take me upstairs!"

Draco laughed into her neck. He didn't need telling twice as he grasped her hand and left the dancefloor with her. He called to a waiter, telling him to send up their best bottle of champagne and not to disturb him for the foreseeable future until asked. Now he had her, Draco was not going to let her go as easily even if that meant keeping her in a constant state of hedonistic pleasure.

* * *

Thank you for all the reviews! Hope you all enjoy this chapter. There are several more to come.


	5. Chapter 5

**ISLA MAGICÁ**

 **FIVE**

Four days had passed and Draco had spent all that time in his suite with Ginny, doing things with her that he had never cared to do with anyone else. Not even Astoria, who he had been with longer than any other woman. But Ginny demanded it, not by her words or actions, but just by being. It didn't make much sense, but he had given up on trying to make any of this make sense days ago.

As requested, they had not been disturbed at all by the staff and his suite had gone some days without maid service. They received their food as he had been receiving it before, with the least possible human interaction. Draco was determined to keep her in a constant state of heightened pleasure, her senses filled only with him, his touch and his scent. Again, it was that primitive and carnal animal that slumbered inside him – and he guessed it slumbered in most men – until the right woman came along to wake it up.

The morning of the fifth day began in much the same way as the others. With a sly smile and a kiss, her body naked as it had been the entire time, ending with him buried deep inside her, her gasps punctuating his thrusts until he felt his sweet release. They showered separately, washing away the sweat, and then rejoined for breakfast on the balcony, the morning sun shining down on them.

"I should really go back to my room," she said as she bit into her toast.

Draco frowned, disliking this idea. "Why? You have no need of your room," he said in a firm voice. "My suite is more than enough for the both of us."

Ginny took another bite of her toast, thinking, her brows knitting together. "I can't stay in your suite for my entire holiday, Draco," she finally said. "I did actually intend to explore the island."

"You don't have to stay in here all day," he replied. "As long as you come back... there is no issue." Draco began eating his own breakfast, lamenting the fact that hers had tasted infinitely better. "I'm not holding you here against your will." Though he would sincerely love to resort to those drastic measures if it meant keeping her near, but he knew that was not likely to endear him to her. And he wanted her to be with him willingly.

"They won't refund me my booking," she said, shaking her head.

Draco shrugged. "If it's a problem, I'll give you the difference."

"Oh no, you can't," she gasped. "That would not be... right. No, not right at all. I don't need your money."

"Then there is no problem," he said simply. "I'll get them to move your things up here."

Ginny sighed. "Draco, you know our time together is finite," she said, looking away from him out at the view. "Why make things difficult? We aren't together, we aren't even lovers... I don't know what we are!" She turned her gaze back on him, a determined look in her eyes. "Staying in your suite would make me something, make us something and we know that can't happen."

Draco stared at her as he chewed his food, trying to process the feelings her words were engendering. He knew they had a limited time together, therefore wouldn't it make more sense for them to spend as much time together as possible? He couldn't let her go back to her room, not when he had claimed her, not when he felt he could go mad from her going so soon. "It doesn't make us anything," he said. "We're just two people enjoying each other's company, it doesn't have to be anything else." A strained look passed over her face but it was gone within seconds before he could gauge it's meaning. "Come and do a tour of the caldera with me today, on the boat, and decide then."

Ginny finished her breakfast before she spoke again, and many differing emotions passed over her face in that time. Determination, excitement, something that appeared to be sadness and then resolve. "OK," she said. "We'll go out today, but you have to accept my decision, whatever that may be."

"That's fine," he said, watching her stand and lean on the stone balcony, her back arching slightly to prevent her breasts from scrapping against the roughness of the plaster. But he had to focus, he had to make her see that it made sense for her to stay with him. "We'll leave soon, meet me at the dock for nine?"

Ginny turned and nodded. "Yes, I'll see you down there." She went back inside to collect her clothing, some of which had ended up under the bed, and her wand. "Oh, and this room is getting very messy, it can't stay like this."

Draco rolled his eyes. "We'll, I've been a little too preoccupied to think about how tidy this room is. I'll get the maids to come up -."

Ginny didn't wait for him to finish, she waved her wand as she had done when she prepared them breakfast on the boat, like a conductor leading an orchestra in a soliloquy. Everything put itself right – the bed made itself, clothes folded and slotted themselves in the laundry basket, towels followed suit, everything went back to its rightful state with a flourish of her wand. "There, no need for the maids to see you living like a slob."

Draco stared at her, inexplicably feeling insanely turned on by her domestic wand skills. How could he focus when she was designed to distract him?

"Oh, don't look at me like that," she said backing away from him as he went to step toward her. "I know what that look means. We have things to do today!" She insisted as she hit the wall behind her when he continued his advance toward her.

"So hex me," he murmured as he leant into her and kissed her fully, and he knew she wouldn't hex him at all since her mouth opened up to him almost immediately.

"This is too much, Draco," she moaned into his ear as he bent down to tease her, his mouth hot on her hardened nipples.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, licking her skin, tasting her and teasing her relentlessly until she grew wet.

"No...!" she gasped, his teasing making her lose all sense of reason.

"Then tell me what you want, Ginny," he said and he knew already, his body knew as it hardened for her.

"Don't tease me," she warned, her breath heavy and ragged.

Draco laughed and picked her up, his arms under her thighs as he entered her for the second time that morning. This little nymph was insatiable and he felt unsure for the first time about what would happen when they had to return to England. The feel of her wrapped around him was like the feel of a warm blanket on a rainy day – unrelinquishable. The feel of her skin on his, their sweat intermingling, was such that he felt he couldn't let her alone in England. He would stay on this island for the rest of his natural life, but she couldn't. She wouldn't. She had her career and her large family.

But, for now, those thoughts could wait until they were to part. All he could think about now was joining her in her release as she moaned into his shoulder, her arms clinging tightly onto him as she trembled around him and made him finish quicker than he had wanted.

They stayed in that position for a moment or two, regaining their breath back until he set her down on the bed, kissed her and went into the bathroom. He would need another shower.

* * *

Draco had the boat stocked with more food so they could have lunch away from the hotel, but was disappointed to see that they would not have the caldera to themselves. Other boats of varying sizes skimmed the water beside the bank and in the direct centre, so they would have to share unlike the other evening when they had been out there alone.

Ginny had met him at the readjusted time of ten, and she had the good grace to be punctual. She seemed to have brought her hotel room with her too; in her large beach bag she had a parasol, two bottles of Mrs. Moon's High Factor Sun Cream (perfect for keeping that moonlight!), another swimming costume, two towels, a picnic blanket, and bottles of water.

"You know I have most of that stuff on here, don't you?" he said drily as she emptied the contents onto the table in the main salon.

"I do now," she said with a shrug, missing the irony. "What about lunch?"

"I had the staff restock the larder," he replied.

"Oh, did you?" she asked. "And who is making lunch?"

Draco smirked and turned from her to make his way up to the fly bridge. "Unless you want a cucumber sandwich, then I expect it will be you," he called to her.

Ginny had caught up with him and slid into the passenger seat as she put her sunglasses on. "I hope you realise that just because I know domestic spells, it doesn't mean I should do all the work."

Draco laughed and reached for her bare thigh, his hand squeezing her there. "Maybe you can teach me," he said. "But for now I enjoy watching you do it, I don't think you realise how sexy it looks."

"Seriously?" she said, laughing at him. "Merlin, my mum does all that stuff. Eurgh!"

"Yes, well, I'm not watching your mother, am I?" he said, rolling his eyes and turning his attention back to the view ahead. "What do you think about going outside of the caldera? There are too many other boats out here for my liking."

"If you think I'm going to have sex with you out in the open, then you had better think again," she said sternly. "Otherwise, I don't mind going elsewhere."

Draco chuckled at her. "I had no intention of taking you into the woods, but now you mention it, it doesn't sound like a bad idea," he laughed at the look on her face and got the propellers going. The boat began moving slowly through the water, scything easily through the smaller waves. "I like how your mind instantly went to that, is that what you think of me? That this is all I think about?"

"Judging by the past four days, I'd say that would be an accurate reflection of what goes on in your mind," she replied.

Draco would agree if not for the fact that he knew he simply wanted to be with her, to just be. To just spend a day with her, sex was an inevitable side effect. "Now, that isn't fair," he said, unable to look at her to make sure he didn't crash into another boats. He would add another feature on the boat so he could let it steer itself in the future. "You've been just as hungry for it as I. Besides, my intentions today are entirely pure."

"I find that hard to believe," she said. "You don't strike me as the pure type."

"People have many layers, Ginny, purity is one of mine," he said with a smirk.

Ginny scoffed. "That's another quote from the book! You know it better than you let on," she pointed out, turning to him. "I don't believe you've read it only once, no one's memory is that good."

Draco glanced at her, the smirk still on his mouth. "If you give me a kiss, I'll tell you a secret," he offered.

"A secret?" she asked, her curiosity piqued immediately. "Do you know who wrote them? Everyone knows it's a pseudonym."

"Well... you'll have to kiss me and find out," he said with a shrug.

"Where?" she asked, and he could hear the frown in her voice. "I'm not kissing you there, we're surrounded by other hotel guests you know."

Draco scoffed. "Always straight to the gutter with you, isn't it? If you want it so badly, little nymph, just tell me and I'll take you downstairs," he grasped her thigh again, his hand edging up towards the apex. "Though I would have thought twice this morning was enough."

Ginny slapped his hand away and he laughed at her reaction. "I know what you are like by now, you'd get off on the thrill of being caught!" she whispered as though anyone else could hear them. "And twice is enough, thank you!"

"There is no need to thank me, Ginny, the pleasure really was all mine," he murmured, glancing at her again to see her purse her lips. He couldn't help but laugh again. "You're so easy to annoy. But, I meant a kiss on the lips, the purest kind of kiss there is between lovers."

"So, we are lovers?" she asked, her voice pitching slightly.

"What else could we be? Acquaintances?" he said, shaking his head. "No, we've gone much too far to be acquaintances. Lover sounds good, it fits you perfectly."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing," she said. "I was aiming to be a wife eight months ago."

"I was aiming to be a husband eight months ago, we take what we can get," he replied. "I enjoy your company, in bed and out of it, that's enough for me right now." Draco was certain that it wasn't, he was certain that this was never going to be enough, nothing would come close. But he couldn't let her know that, he would scare her off and he wanted her for as long as she would allow. "So, are you going to kiss me or not?"

Draco smelled her before he saw her, her sweet floral scent filling his nose as she turned his face to hers and kissed him. How could she ever think they were anything but lovers when she could kiss him like that? Even with her mouth shut he could feel the passion radiating off her. When she sat back in her seat, he licked his lips, tasting the gloss she had worn on her own mouth. "I have read the books three times," he said, chuckling as he knew she expected him to reveal some great secret. Draco hadn't even told his mother and father that he was writing. It was his own world that he could escape to without intrusion.

"I thought you knew who wrote them!" she exclaimed, but he could hear the smile in her voice. "You are an arse. And I knew you read them more than once! Why would you say you read them once?"

Draco shrugged. "It's better to appear nonchalant to a woman you are seducing."

Ginny tutted. "What rubbish," she laughed.

"Yes, I think I have realised how stupid that sounds when spoken aloud," he replied. "Also, I didn't want you to know they helped me possibly more than they helped you."

Draco had brought the boat around the left hand hook of the caldera and decided to park it up near a pretty looking beach further along the outer rim of the island. It was secluded and partially shaded for them to have their lunch, and Ginny would welcome the respite from the blazing sun.

"How did they help you?" she asked when they finally made it down to the beach, picnic blanket and towels in hand. "You don't have to tell me," she assured as she waved her wand and had the towels and blanket lay out neatly on the sand for them to lay upon.

"You told me," he said. "And it's done now, so none of it really matters."

Ginny sat up, looking over him as he basked in the sunshine. "Of course it matters. Even if you are over it, it has shaped you, changed you," she said softly.

Draco thought that sounded like an excellent quote to use in his next book, with a little tweaking, but he accepted the truth of it all the same. Astoria's refusal had changed him, perhaps it had pushed him in this direction even, to Ginny. Going for women like Astoria had never ended well, and perhaps that is why he had been so attracted to Ginny from the moment he saw her laughing by the pool, no restraint or airs. "I suppose it has changed my perception," he conceded.

Ginny continued to look down at him for a long while, expectant, as he tried to sort through it. "It's fine if you don't want to tell me, I needed to tell someone about Harry," she said. "It doesn't mean you need to tell me anything."

Draco nodded. He knew she wasn't expecting anything, but it felt right to tell her. There was nothing shady about what had gone on, it was simply admitting that he'd been hurt. His mother and father assumed he'd move on quickly to someone else, someone more acceptable in their eyes. Zabini had thought he would move on, but Draco knew Zabini had some inkling that his friend was not completely happy.

"I had expected to marry Astoria," he finally began, his eyes on the overhanging tree just above them. "I expected to have children with her. When she returned the engagement ring, I was heartbroken. She told me it was never supposed to get that far, she hadn't wanted all that so soon, I was pressuring her and I was to blame for pushing her away. She called me demanding!" Draco shook his head. "Me, demanding! Never demanded anything from her. It was just an excuse to back away from the responsibility she had pretended to be ready for."

"Why didn't she want to get married, at least? You didn't have to have children straight away," Ginny said in a confused voice.

Draco laughed bitterly. "I said that to her, said that children could wait... but, it wasn't enough," he explained. "She wasn't ready to commit. Funny that, last I heard she was gallavanting all over Europe with some French wizard." Draco laughed again, this time at the irony. "If she had wanted to travel, all she had to do was say. Reading the second book was a chance to see it all played out and resolved, not like in real life."

"Maybe it's better to stay single," she sighed, laying down beside him now. "That way our expectations won't be so high, we won't feel betrayed or lied to."

"There is a flaw there," he pointed out. "How do you expect to have children?"

Ginny laughed. "I don't need to be with someone to have children."

Draco frowned. "But that is not the ideal environment to raise children in," he said.

Ginny shrugged. "Well, it's not happening any time soon, anyway," she said carelessly. "I've got a couple years left in my Quidditch career. I was hoping for captain this year, but they've given it to Demelza Robbins – fair enough, I played terribly nearly all season."

Draco wanted to tell her about his own troubles with writing his third book, but his pseudonym was there for a reason and it would stay a pseudonym. It didn't particularly seem to be on a par with her own woes anyway, considering his writing was not something he did to sustain his lifestyle. "Maybe now is the time to finish Quidditch," he suggested.

"I have been thinking about it," she muttered, sounding dejected by such a thought. "I would be able to concentrate more on starting a family – meeting someone would be useful. There is an opening coming up for Sports journalist at the Daily Prophet at the end of the year. Wilfred Waffler is retiring," she explained. "The pay is decent, not as much as my earnings now, obviously, but I have a flat in London and a house in Surrey. One of them can go if necessary."

Draco found it strange that someone should have to part with something just so they could have more money. He could not dream of giving up his own flat in London. "I'm sure you will find some rich man to look after you," he replied. "If you come here often enough, you'll get some foreign wizard offering you holidays in the Maldives and designer clothes from Milan."

Ginny laughed. "I don't know where you get this idea that I have men falling over themselves," she scoffed. "Men are too intimidated by my career, too intimidated by the fact that I know more about Quidditch and never mind the fact that I was with the saviour of the wizarding world! It's not as easy as you think. Yes, even with this body," she joked.

Draco didn't think it was any joke at all, how any man could resist wanting to touch her body, to even just be near it and near her was unfathomable. He was falling over himself simply to get her to stay in his room for the rest of her holiday. "Then they are fucking stupid," he said, turning on his side to look at her. "Potter was unbelievably stupid." He reached out to trace his fingers across her flat stomach, her warm skin smooth to the touch and then he reached under her bikini top to squeeze her breast.

"Draco! I said not in public!" she hissed, sitting up and looking around.

"There's no one here," he murmured leaning in to kiss the side of her face. "Come, little nymph -."

"Don't call me that! You think I will do whatever you want when you call me that!" she accused as she turned away from him.

Draco chuckled. "You think so terribly of me," he said quietly as he nuzzled her neck. "Come," he coaxed, "just let me kiss you, Ginny. Just a kiss..." He placed kisses along the arch of her throat and shoulders.

He smirked as he heard her sigh heavily and turn to face him. "Fine, but only a kiss," she warned.

Draco obliged happily, his lips touching hers gently and he realised that he was content to simply kiss her. And for a long moment, he did, enjoying the feel of her soft mouth on his and hearing her sweet little sighs of contentment. This was truly dangerous ground. Never had he been in such a precarious position with a woman, at least with a woman which he had no intentions for beyond sexual ones. "See, only a kiss," he muttered once he pulled away.

"Well, you'd better not follow me onto the boat, otherwise you will turn it into something more," she said as she stood up.

"Why, what are you doing?" he asked, resisting the urge to stand and follow her and appear casual. He had to put a stop to this behaviour. She was only a bedmate, that was all.

Ginny smiled. "Making lunch," she replied and she walked off.

Draco looked after her as she retreated back on to the boat, her hair and kimono blowing in the sea breeze. Her smile could mean any number of things; she could be mocking him or telling him she wanted him to follow. "Fuck it," he mumbled as he stood and followed her. He climbed the ladder and quickly spotted her rifling through the amply stocked larder. His footsteps made her turn around, and she gave him an exasperated look.

"I thought I said to wait on the beach?" she said, standing and folding her arms.

"You knew I'd follow," he said, sitting at the table and showing her that he wasn't going to leave. "Don't pretend you didn't."

"Well, don't try anything," she warned before turning back to the larder and pulling out various items. Once again, she waved her wand as though conducting a symphony, but she made it look so effortless and without thought that it was hard not to admire her wand skills. Draco had never seen anyone do domestic tasks before, it had always been done by the house elves at the Manor and by his house elf at his flat in London. It was so mundane a task, but she made it mesmerising; her fluid hand movements, the smallest smile on her lips that showed she enjoyed doing it, the way the objects bent to the will of her magic and all but danced for her.

The result of her symphony was a pleasant picnic-style lunch, complete with sandwiches, little meat pies, pumpkin pasties, caeser salad and little fruit tartlets. Draco gave an approving nod as he stood beside her. "Satisfactory," he said.

"Satisfactory?" she said, bristling at his choice of words. "That is more than satisfactory, thank you very much!"

Draco chuckled and pulled her into his arms. "You are so easy..." he muttered into her ear.

"And you're the king of wind ups," she replied.

"At least I'm the king of something," he laughed. It felt good to hold her, her head resting on his chest and the sweet smell of her hair. He wondered what it felt like for her, he wondered if she detached herself from it since they both knew it must come to an end. He wondered when had he attempted to detach himself from it at all, it felt like he hadn't ever tried to stop it from going this far.

Ginny looked up at him as he released his hold on her and it was for some moments that they held each other's gaze. A flurry of emotions passed over her face, each one just as unreadable as the last, until she turned away and made a show of getting the food together. Draco knew it meant something, something that she couldn't bring herself to voice out loud for fear of the unknown, fear of the consequences. He didn't want to think about the consequences, he only wanted to enjoy the time they had together before they went back to reality.

"How long is your stay on the island?" he asked, stopping her movement.

"I have ten days left," she replied, looking back up at him again. "Why?"

Ten days seemed like a long enough time, but it would come around quick. "And you can't stay longer?"

"I have pre-season training," she explained. "The way my form has been, I can't afford to miss it." She retrieved the picnic blanket from the beach using her wand and wrapped the food up in that carefully.

"Of course not, that would be absurd," he said. Truthfully, he thought it would be absurd for her to go back, but he knew this was irrational. "Here, I'll take it." Draco picked the wrapped up picnic blanket from her arms and carried it out to the beach again.

"I didn't expect you to be so... nice," Ginny said as they ate. "I always thought you were just a nasty git."

Draco laughed. "To Gryffindors I was," he admitted. "But no one can be nasty all the time. Unless you're an evil overlord. Believe what you want, but I was pleasant to my friends. I still am."

"That is hard to believe," she said, a thoughtful look on her face. "It would be easier if you were still a nasty git."

"If I were a nasty git, would you be sitting here with me now?" he asked.

Ginny shook her head. "That's what I mean," she explained. "I wouldn't feel so torn right now, I wouldn't have been here with you at all."

Draco was unsure what to make of her words, unsure of what she was trying to say. He had a feeling things were going to get even more difficult and complicated. "Why are you torn? We are just two people having lunch on a beach somewhere in the Mediterranean. There is nothing to be torn about."

Ginny stared at him, her pretty face twisting in confusion. "Draco, you and I have slept together, I've lost count how many times -."

"You were counting?"

Ginny threw him a warning look. "The point is that we obviously struggle to control ourselves around each other," she continued. "And... you and I both know there is an attraction between us. What do we do if we can't stop?"

Draco knew she was serious, knew she had been experiencing the same worries as he ever since they got themselves into this beautiful mess. If she was having the same thoughts as he, then he felt there could be no further pretence. "Then we don't stop," he replied, his tone firm and his gaze never leaving hers to show her he was being serious.

Ginny scoffed in disbelief, her mouth falling open at such a suggestion. "We don't stop?" she asked, almost in a hurried whisper as though she couldn't believe what he had said. "And how will that work at home?"

Draco shook his head. "Who cares?"

"I care," she insisted. "We have spoken about what we both want from a relationship – marriage and children. Are you seriously reconsidering putting that to one side just to carry on with me?"

Draco knew he had been edging towards this for some time, had been attempting to hide those thoughts away and had kept them on the fringes of his mind, never allowing them full realisation until now. "Not at all," he said, swallowing his fear to speak so openly to her. "I have no intention of abandoning that ambition for you. You would share in that ambition."

Ginny was silent for some moments, the contents of her sandwich fell to the blanket as her grip on it slackened and her eyes widened as she stared back at him. "You would consider having me as your wife?" she said quietly. "To... to be the mother of your children?" She laughed nervously as she looked away from him, shaking her head in complete disbelief. "You would really take me home to your parents? Merlin... you've lost your mind, Draco!"

"I haven't lost my mind," he said, reaching over to her to get her to look at him. He was surprised to see fear in swimming in the amber of her eyes. "You said it yourself, we have an attraction to each other that we can't deny, we can't fight," he said firmly. "It can't be ignored."

"It's only lust," she replied, the fear in her eyes deepening.

"If you really believed this was only lust, then you wouldn't be so torn," he said. "You wouldn't look at me the way you did earlier. You wouldn't question what happens beyond the island."

Ginny sighed. "I don't want this to be complicated," she said in a strained voice.

"It doesn't have to be," he said. "I'm tired of feeling dictated to by other people's wants and needs. Without caring what others will think, let's just see what happens. We'll continue as we are. It doesn't need to be complicated."

"I am sick of my family trying to force it to work with Harry, that's why I came here really," she admitted, a guilty look on her face. "To get away from there constant nattering about Harry. I am sick of placating them and their wishes too. But, you can't possibly believe that we could leave this island and carry on as we are back home?"

Draco shook his head. "No, I don't believe we could carry on as we are," he replied. "You have a career, my father wants me to start getting involved with the family estates. We wouldn't be spending as much time together, that's all that would change."

"What about everyone? Your family and friends would not take kindly to me," she said in exasperation. "My family and friends would definitely not take kindly to you. It is important that at least some of those people accept you."

"You just said you're sick of pandering to your family," Draco replied, sighing and unsure of how else to calm her fears.

"They'll just think I'm with you for shock value," she said, sighing herself.

"Merlin! Why do you care?!" he said loudly, gesturing and causing her to look at him in shock. "Why do you care what anyone else thinks?! You have you're own damn life, so do what you want with it! I will, I'm finished with trying to please my parents..." Draco laid back onto the blanket one he finished his rant, and stared up at the canopy of leaves above them. This was the first time he had gotten irate with her and he wondered how she would react. Draco expected her to go on the defensive, considering she could be so short-tempered.

Then he saw her lean over him, felt her lips touch his own and the irritation melted away with so much ease that he wondered if it had ever been there at all. Draco reached up and held her, grasping her body to his as he felt the very real fear of her deciding to leave. It was pure infatuation that made him behave like this, and yet he had never felt it like this before, never felt so weakened by a woman, so out of control. Draco ignored those thoughts, remembering he had just admitted to her that she could be the future mistress of Malfoy Manor if they carried on. It was such folly to think so, folly to believe that this could last beyond the island and yet he could not imagine her being gone from him forever.

"Take me to the boat, Draco," she whispered in his ear.

Those six words sent a thrill through him and he knew he would comply. Of course he would. Draco lifted her up into his arms, his hands cupping her bottom so he could kiss her as he walked, and only released her once he had her in the confines of the bedroom below deck. What followed was nothing like he had experienced with her before, where it had been rough and greedy with passion. This was different – he took more time with her body, scared of losing it and her, reacted with her movements so it became a sensuous dance without any limits on their time. There was no goal except to be with her and that was completely new to him; the goal had always been to achieve release, but not now, not with her.

He took her in, kissed her, smelled her and tasted her like he would with a fine wine but he enjoyed her like she was Firewhiskey. And she was, he had known from the moment he saw the deep amber of her eyes that she was living Firewhiskey. Intoxicating, burning hot in his mouth and making him feel heady.

Ginny could barely communicate and so gave up on trying to speak, all she could do was moan her pleasure and guide him where she wanted. When she came, it was with a tremble and a cry, and then she was exhausted. Her breath was heavy and her body was slick with sweat. The simple thought that he had caused that made him finish, and it took all his willpower to stop himself from trembling with the force of it that he felt exhausted by the end.

They lay beside each other, no words passing between them until he was certain that she had drifted off to sleep as her breath evened out. Draco quickly followed and they didn't awaken until the sun began to set on the island.

* * *

Once again, thanks to all of your for your reviews and the time you have taken to review. It is much appreciated.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next one!


	6. Chapter 6

**ISLA MAGICA**

 **SIX**

Ginny decided to cancel her room and take up Draco's offer to stay in his suite for the rest of her holiday. The remaining days of her stay were spent in each other's company, and not one word was spoken again of what would happen after their time on the island came to an end.

Draco felt contented to keep it this way, no complications and no worries. Simply being in her company for now was enough and if it had to end, then he would have to accept it and carry on with his life in England as normal. Ginny knew his feelings on the matter, what good would it do to fight her decision? Ultimately, his experience with Astoria had taught him that a woman could not be forced to stay and could not be forced to love, and he was not going to beg Ginny to carry on with him back home.

All in all, they would have had three weeks together in each other's company, and as her stay drew to a close, Draco had to make sure the last few nights were memorable enough to keep him firmly in her mind.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they made their way around the back of the hotel grounds and walked across the small Quidditch pitch. "Are we playing Quidditch?"

"No," he said, smiling. "Why would I torture myself by playing against you? A world-class Chaser?"

"We could try and catch the snitch?" she suggested.

Draco scoffed. "Yeah, did you see me play? Not exactly very successful, was I?"

"Well," she started thoughtfully, "It was only ever when you played against Harry that you were terrible. You were more concerned with trying to annoy him than catching the snitch. That's your own fault."

"Yes, yes, OK," he said, rolling his eyes. "Regardless, we're not playing Quidditch in any way, shape or form."

Ginny giggled in that unreserved way she was wont to affect, the way which made his heart skip a beat or two. "I'm just saying that you were fine when you played Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff," she said, humour in her voice as they strode over the beautifully-kept grass.

"Well, thanks," he said begrudgingly. They reached the broom shed and Draco tapped his wand on the lock, muttering the password which Matías had given him. The lock clinked open, and the door swung inwards for Draco to retrieve a couple of brooms. "Oh shit! They've got the Firebolt Inferno's!" he exclaimed, surprised at such expensive brooms being left in what was essentially a wooden shack.

"No, they haven't!" Ginny said, pushing past him into the shed, her eyes wide. "Wow!" she gasped, reaching to touch one. "The Harpies don't even have these yet..."

The pair of them stood admiring the brooms for another five minutes or so. They were sleek in design, made from the best ebony wood as the old Firebolts had been, with trimmed hazel twigs for precision turning. But it's best feature was the speed dial which allowed you to select your pace with a flick of a switch. It was also said to reach speeds of 170mph.

Ginny chose one and it immediately jumped into her hand. "Wow... it's humming," she whispered. "You can literally feel it's power. Merlin, I cannot wait to get on this broom. What are we doing then?" she asked eagerly, turning to him and the look of anticipation on her face made her glow.

Draco swallowed, wishing to himself that she didn't have this affect on him. "We're going to do a night flight around the island, we will be able to reach places others can't even see."

"But we won't be able to see either," she said, bemused. "It's going to be dark."

Draco smiled. "Just wait and see." He selected his broom and was surprised to note that Ginny was not wrong – the power coming off the broom quite literally thrummed under his fingers. "You ready?" he asked, gripping the broom tightly. In all honesty, Draco hadn't flown properly for many years for various reasons and he was looking forward to this.

Ginny nodded, excitement lighting her eyes as she glanced at the broom in her hand. "The girls will not believe I've flown one of these..." she muttered, shaking her head.

"I can't believe they've got such valuable brooms stored in a wooden shed," Draco replied as they went back outside. "My father always told me that anything valuable should be stored carefully, away from thieves and if they had to be on display, a thousand curses at least should be placed on them."

"That's very dramatic," Ginny said, appearing to be quite shocked. "Though I suppose my family didn't ever have much of anything valuable worth taking."

Draco knew he should have been put off by her lack of experience in the world of wealth and riches, but he wasn't. "Come, let's go," he said. "The sun is setting." Draco wondered when he would discover something he hated about her, as would be inevitable. Her short-temperedness could be annoying, but it was humorous at the same time. It didn't irritate him enough for him to hate it.

They mounted their brooms and kicked off the hard ground, rising into the still warm air with ease. Draco felt the exhilaration that he hadn't felt in years as they rose higher and higher above the island, as though he were free from all that had happened in the past year. He was weightless and he could tell she felt the same by the look of utter contentment on her face.

"Let's do a couple of laps of the island before it gets dark," she said, excitement in her voice as she fiddled with the speed dial and sped off without his assent to such a dangerous idea.

Draco stared after her in disbelief as she disappeared into the distance, the speed of the broom and the way she controlled it shocking him in equal amounts. He gathered himself back up and adjusted the speed dial himself, intent on catching up with her, and zoomed off in the same direction. Merlin, it was such a feeling of exhilaration that he had never experienced before, not even as a boy. The wind blasting through his hair and at his skin, the warm air hitting him like a welcome hug from a loved one and the way the island began lighting up beneath him, twinkling lights like so many beacons shining in the darkness and they shone as if from the earth itself.

He slowed quickly to a stop as Ginny came back into his sights, hovering over the caldera as it lit up. "What did I say?" he said as he drew beside her.

"I didn't expect this," she whispered, her face in awe of the show beneath them. "It's beautiful... But, it wasn't like this when we went out on the yacht."

"You can only see it from above," he explained. "It's one of the lesser known facts about the island."

Ginny continued to stare down at the island, spinning this way and that with expert precision. "Oh, wow!" she gasped, propelling to the left and sinking lower onto her broom as she sped away from him again.

Draco chuckled to himself at her unpredictability. Just another trait that he couldn't bring himself to hate. He followed her once more and relished witnessing the way her blazing red locks flurried in the sharp wind, her determination to get to her destination and he knew he could never hope to keep up with her, even with his own experience of riding a broom. She was like an addiction; he knew it was bad for him, knew he shouldn't indulge in her, shouldn't chase after her and yet, he couldn't stop himself. He found he had no inclination to stop himself, that had gone some weeks ago when he had seen her naked in the lake. Seeing her riding the wind only deepened the need to indulge in her, the need to claim her over and over until whatever it was in him was satisfied. Draco feared it would never _be_ satisfied.

"Look at that," she whispered as she came to a stop, pointing below at the tallest peak of the island. Clustered there was a rainbow mix of lights, unlike the other lights that shone from the island, shining from the gently swaying trees. The peak was to the west of the hotel, furthest away from the buzzing heart of the island. "There seems to be a clearing down there, let's go look."

Draco followed her once again as she drifted down towards the cluster of lights, which slowly disappeared as they descended. The magic wore off the closer you got to the island, but he could already tell this place so untouched by human life was beautiful before they even hit the ground. When they did, he conjured up several glass jars and filled them with fire so as to light the area around them. Lumos would have cast too harsh a glow. They stood in a clearing amongst a small cluster of trees, but it wasn't the brightly coloured hibiscus that grew there nor the overhanging trees that gave the place it's beauty. It was the smell; it was as though Ginny's scent had been magnified at least fifty times over and assaulted his senses to the point where he felt could get drunk on it.

"Merlin, this place smells _lovely_ ," Ginny said, as she inhaled deeply. "Like... cinnamon and pine trees mixed together."

"What? _Cinnamon_?" he asked, bemused. "It doesn't smell like that at all. It smells like..." Draco cut himself short, he was about to say 'You,' but decided this sounded ridiculous. "It smells like flowers and sweets."

Ginny stared at him. "Flowers?" she shook her head. "No, no... It smells like cinnamon buns. It smells like you."

Draco stared back at her now, shocked that she had said what he wouldn't. "Like me?"

Ginny swallowed and looked away from him, unable to maintain eye contact for much longer. The fire from the jars illuminated her sudden embarrassment to him, but it only made him want to kiss her. "Yes, like you."

Draco chuckled and made her look back up at him. "Well, to me, it smells like you." That honesty sent a surge of burning want through him and it was so ridiculous. How could that make him want her? Again, none of this made any sense and it was this senselessness that made him lose all reserve. He grasped the back of her neck and captured her mouth with his own in a rough and needy kiss, and she responded to him immediately. A kiss had always been a means to an end, that end having always been the start of more carnal pleasures, but a kiss with her had always been more. A kiss with her was a way of communicating in the most base and primal of ways, a way for their very desires to intertwine and meet on a mutual level, almost as though it was preordained that they should connect so physically to tell each other what their voices wouldn't.

He could feel her body pushed up against his and it was inevitable now that he felt the persistent urge of want pushing against his shorts. Whenever her body was so close to his and her mouth against his, it was always inevitable. The blaze of desire felt different this time, it transcended desire and stood on a whole other plane – it was hunger, need and passion all rolled into one, it was what he imagined it felt like to wish for water in drought. It was essential that he should be with her at that moment, on that peak, his senses overwhelmed by her.

Ginny must have felt the same as he felt her hands tugging at his shorts, impatience in her effort. Draco quickly assisted her and freed himself from the restraints of his shorts, immediately forcing her down to the ground amongst the soft grass and flowers. Now he felt her impatience, too full of need to bother removing her long skirt, instead he pushed it up until it pooled around her waist and revealed her knickers to him. This was the only barrier between him and her now and it was gone with a quick tug, tossed into the darkness of the trees somewhere and he was surprised to discover how wet she was already.

"No, no," she whispered, her eyes wide as he looked up at her, and the darkened lust in those amber eyes reflected by the fire only served to stoke his own lust further. "Now," she muttered with urgency, "now."

Draco didn't need her to elaborate, he grasped her hips and pulled her onto him with slick ease. Only then did he lean over her, his hands gripping at the earth, clenching at it as he filled her with his need, wanting her to know with each driving thrust that she belonged to him, with him. Whatever it was about the peak of the island, it had made him understand that primal thing inside him – it wanted her, it needed her, he wanted her, he needed her. The two were connected, he was the primal thing.

Ginny gasped and sighed into the night, her body reacting with his, meeting his in an imperfect rhythm. The feel of her ankles wrapped tightly around him, keeping him from leaving her, the feel of her hands on his neck, clutching at him, maddened him and he had to kiss her again. His mouth met hers like a storm meeting another, and lightning tore through his chest as his heart thumped faster and his blood thundered through his veins. It was quick and impatient, and when he came inside her, it was with utter relief and contentment as she pulsed around him, her own climax fresh.

Draco dropped beside her, exhausted, his breath heavy and the smell of her still surrounding him. He could hear her breathing just as heavily beside him.

"We shouldn't have done that," she said quietly.

Draco turned to look at her, her eyes on the darkened sky above. "And why not?"

"We're in public," she replied.

"There is no one else on this peak," he said, feeling a little annoyed that she regretted what they had just done. "It's hardly public."

Ginny shut her eyes. "I don't know what just happened then," she said, her voice soft and with the slightest trace of fear. "I lost control... there's some kind of strange magic up here."

Draco silently agreed with her, remembering the suddenness of his arousal after they spoke frankly to each other. "The island is known for it's hidden magic," he replied, trying to assuage her fears. He knew what she feared – their connection and what that might mean. It would disrupt their lives in more ways than they could imagine. "It is nothing to be fearful of."

"I do not fear the island," she said, turning to look at him now. "If it is the magic of the island, what is it's meaning? That is what scares me."

Draco looked back at her, unable to answer such a question. He could barely make sense of the past weeks he had spent with her, let alone what was happening with her in the present. "That is one thing I cannot answer," he replied. "Whatever it is cannot be malicious."

Ginny shivered then and he remembered they were laying half naked exposed to the night air. He Summoned their clothing and they dressed in silence. Draco was disappointed with her inability to let go of her worries, disappointed with how that had ended and was determined not to let this mire her last couple of nights. They mounted their brooms again and returned to the Quidditch pitch to put the brooms back.

"Draco," she said, ending the silence that had sprung up, and she swallowed hard before speaking again. "Draco, that, what happened on the peak, I've never felt so weakened by my own body before, so lacking in control. It scares me. The only time anything surpassed that was when I was being used by Voldemort in my first year." She stopped, steeling herself before she could carry on. Draco had never known the full extent of his father's foolish actions all those years ago and it was hard to hear it. "I have always wanted to be in complete control since then, and being with you scares me because I lose it so easily. But... I've realised this is nothing like back then. I don't mind losing myself in you because I know you will bring me back."

Draco pulled her to him and held her tight, nuzzling her neck and drinking her in. "I'm sorry for what my father did back then," he murmured into her throat, kissing her there. "And, you know, you do the same to me. I lose all control when you're touching me, it's a struggle to keep a hold on to rational thought even now as I just hold you like this."

Ginny pulled back to look into his eyes and already they had darkened with desire again. Merlin, she was insatiable and he was more than happy to oblige. "Take me again, Draco, this time we can let go completely."

Draco near growled as he kissed her again, wondering how he could let go anymore than he already had, but he was never going to back away from this challenge nor from her.

* * *

Draco awoke the following morning with the sun shining on his face from the open balcony, the gauzy curtains blew in the breeze and rustled softly, the only sound in the still atmosphere of the room. Beside him lay Ginny, wrapped up in the covers and naked underneath all that material, her face peaceful in slumber.

The sex they had the night before had surpassed all the moments of physical intimacy they had so far shared, and he hadn't thought it would be possible. Their bodies had spoken to each other on a deeper level than he had experienced, their want for each other had become like breathing and it was from this that he knew Ginny Weasley belonged to him as he belonged to her. There would be no doubts around that anymore and she would know it soon enough. The way he had taken her last night should have been an indication of that, but he had to make sure, she had to know unequivocally that he was not going to share.

Draco stood from the bed and decided to let her rest, judging by the way his limbs ached from last night's activities, he could only assume hers would too. He didn't want to suffocate her with his presence either, so he dressed quickly and quietly before going down to breakfast. The clear light of day would serve to wake him up from this dream he was walking around in as he felt this could not be anything else; Ginny Weasley writhing and trembling in his bed, making him feel things he thought he had felt before with Astoria. Nothing he had felt for Astoria had felt like being with Ginny, it was better, sharper, and it was this that made him wonder if it was all real.

"Ah, Señor Malfoy," Matías was at the entrance to the breakfast room, greeting guests as they arrived. His face lit up when he saw Draco. "Where is the Señorita? Did she not enjoy the brooms?"

Draco smirked, unable to stop himself. "Oh, yes, Matías," he said quietly back to him. "She enjoyed the brooms very much. She's sleeping at the moment."

Realisation dawned on Matías's face and he chuckled. "Muy bien, Señor, muy bien," he said, nodding with approval and gesturing for Draco to seat himself wherever he liked.

Draco took a table by the large patio doors, which were shut at the moment, so that he had an unobstructed view of the caldera. His order was taken and his food arrived in decent enough time. Now he was left to his own thoughts and he decided it would be good to sort through them. But, there was nothing to sort through, he knew what he wanted and he was going to get it when he returned to England. There was no hiding from his own desires now, desires that had felt traitorous only weeks before but now felt like they had always been there, waiting for her to turn up at the right moment. His parents would not be pleased, they would be even less pleased with Ginny than they were of Astoria, but he found that he couldn't make himself care. For all his good intentions of seeking out someone they could approve of, he had found the girl who they would likely despise. Still, he could not care at all.

Draco lived primarily at his flat in central London, away from the Manor and his parents, so their disapproval was not something he felt would cause problems. Ginny had a flat in London somewhere, so she would be away from the disapproval of her own family over him. It made him chuckle at the path he had decided to go down, the path that would be the hardest to take, when he had been choosing the easiest path his whole life.

"There you are, Draco!" A shrill voice rang out behind him, cutting through his thoughts, and his heart jolted unpleasantly as he recognised that voice. It was Astoria. Of all places. He didn't even turn to look at her, her face only came into his view when she decided to sit directly across from him. "This is a lovely place, Draco, how ever did you find it out?"

Draco stared back at her, with what he hoped was a bored expression. "What are you doing here?" he asked, sitting back against his chair.

Astoria smiled that sweet smile she was wont to affect when she attempted to manipulate him. "There's no need to speak so unkindly, Draco," she said with an irritating titter. "Are we not still friends?"

"I don't think we are," he replied in a curt tone.

Astoria looked back at him, a flash of fury behind her eyes, but which she quickly buried and replaced with her sweet demeanour. "I came here to reconcile with you," she explained. "I have missed you, more than you will believe."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, wondering what had happened to make her come crawling back to him, what had made her search him out. "How did you know where I was?" he asked, ignoring her attempt at drawing him in.

Astoria laughed. "Blaise is not at all good at keeping a secret," she replied, rolling her eyes. "He's such a bore, telling me not to come after you! And why shouldn't I? I am your fiance."

Draco laughed derisively, causing another angry look to pass across her normally smooth face. "You _was_ , Astoria," he pointed out. "You're not anymore. So, what's happened? Your little rebound not working out for you?"

Astoria looked appalled. "Stefan was not a rebound, we were not at all romantic -."

"Do not lie to me," Draco said in a harsh voice, leaning forward now to emphasise his point. "I know when you're acting, so don't pretend to be that pristine little princess you love to affect. She doesn't work on me."

A dark look settled on her face then. "Fine, Stefan _was_ my boyfriend," she admitted with reluctance. "But he made me realise how much I missed you, Draco." Her eyes widened as she said it, an imploring look if there ever was one. A look to induce sentiment and empathy, but Draco had grown far too cynical where she was concerned.

"What's your point?" he muttered, leaning back in his chair and glaring at her.

"My point is that I came here to start anew with you," she said, her eyes still imploring a side of him that no longer existed for her.

Draco frowned. "Right, I see," he murmured. "You want to start over again? Despite knowing I am ready to be a father, something which you are not willing to give me?"

Astoria grimaced and struggled to hide her reaction behind her white smile and child-like expression. "I am willing," she insisted. "I thought I wasn't ready for all that commitment, but I am. I want to start a family with you, Draco."

Draco couldn't feel any less than he did in that moment for Astoria, and wished she had never come. For whatever reason, her new beau had either grew tiresome or had grown tired of her. Just then, Ginny entered the dining room and was laughing with Matías, who unfortunately pointed him out to her. Draco could have groaned in frustration as he saw the a confused look pass over Ginny's face before she took a seat closer to the entrance.

"Are you listening to me?" Astoria asked, offended by his lack of attention and turning to see what he looked at. "Is that Ginny Weasley?" she whispered. "How on _earth_ is she affording this place?"

Draco could not fault Astoria for asking such a question, he had thought the same thing very briefly. "She is an international Quidditch star, Astoria," he replied in a bored tone. "She has earned her right to be here more than you."

Astoria frowned. "Defending Weasley's now, are you?" she sneered, her facade dropping quicker than he had expected. "And I _belong_ in a place such as this. Where was she born? In a barn, probably." Astoria laughed derisively at this, but realised quickly that he was not going to indulge her where he might have before. "You are being such a bore, Draco! I've just said I want to start a family with you and you haven't even reacted."

Draco stared at her, feeling deeply amused and galled by her audacity at the same time. Looking at her now, he couldn't understand why he thought her above all other women; she had a perfectly straight, aristocratic nose, but now it seemed to be permanently shunted into the air as though looking down it all the time. Her eyes were a deep brown, but he didn't see sweetness in them anymore, all he saw was a murkiness that came off as suspicious. "I have no reaction, because I have no inclination to start over with you," he finally replied, his tone careful and slow as he spoke so as to make sure she understood his message. "The thought of marrying you and having children with you sickens me. Your coming here has only made you appear desperate. You and I both know you have no interest in becoming a mother yet, and there is no issue with that. My issue with you is that you lied right up until the point you saw it getting serious. So... why would I bother with you again?"

Astoria was dumbstruck, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to figure out what to say next. There was nothing she could say that would make him change his mind. Instead she stood up with as much dignity as she could muster and then completely ruined it by declaring, "I haven't given up on you yet, Draco. I know how prideful you are. Once your ego is out of the way, you will see that this is the only path you can possibly take."

With those last words, she walked out, her body unnaturally stiff. Draco breathed out and shook his head. The bloody audacity of her coming to him and thinking he would go running back to her just because she said so was utterly offensive and ridiculous. The other guests, of which there were few at the early hour, turned back to their food, pretending like they hadn't eavesdropped on a personal conversation. He looked over at Ginny, who now had her food in front of her, and he decided that he should speak with her.

"So that was your ex, then?" she asked as he slid into the seat beside her. "She seemed miffed."

Draco chuckled. "Miffed doesn't cover it," he replied. "And don't pretend you didn't hear most of that."

Ginny shrugged. "I'm not pretending," she said as she buttered a slice of toast. "She wants you back." She said this so casually that Draco wondered whether she wasn't as casual about it as she might like him to believe.

"Ridiculous..." he muttered.

Ginny looked at him, a thoughtful look on her face. "Is it though?" she asked.

Draco frowned, confused. "Of course it's ridiculous," he said, scoffing at the suggestion that it wasn't absurd.

"She's offered you the life you wanted," Ginny said in an even tone. "A life you wanted with her not so long ago. It isn't that ridiculous."

"It is ridiculous," he insisted, drawing his chair closer to her. "She's got an ulterior motive here. It hasn't worked out with her new boyfriend, so she's come all this way to beg my favour. Astoria is not one to be alone for too long and she probably thinks I would have taken her back in a heartbeat."

Ginny looked sceptical. "She wouldn't choose to commit herself so easily to you, when she had been reluctant before, just because she is lonely," she said, shaking her head.

Draco rubbed his face and sighed. "You don't know Astoria," he replied.

"I don't need to know her," she said, still in an even tone of voice. "Why would you give up on the chance to become a father? That is what you have been looking for."

Draco was in disbelief. Did she really not know? Even after all they had spoken of, after last night? How could she not know that he would shun all others in favour of her? "Because I don't want her," he answered in a low voice. "Listen, let us enjoy your last day on the island. Forget about Astoria. She can try all she likes, nothing ties me to her anymore. Nothing."

Ginny still appeared to be a little disconcerted but she smiled all the same. "OK," she agreed. "But we have to be discreet. Can't risk her seeing us together."

Draco nodded, not entirely bothered if she did see them together. In his mind, once his holiday on the island was done, he would return to England and seek her out, damned be to everyone else. When she left tomorrow morning, he hoped it would be with an address pressed into his hand to make things easier. "That's fine," he shrugged. "She will never see us on that peak, we can Apparate there now we know it's there."

Ginny nodded slowly. "OK, I will meet you there soon enough," she said, a strained smile on her face.

Draco did not want to press her, it was evident that Astoria's appearance had shaken her somewhat. The thought that they could be exposed so soon was possibly the cause of the anxiousness he saw in her. It was possibly for the best that she was leaving tomorrow morning as Merlin knew how long Astoria was going to attempt to sink her claws into him. He left her sitting there and went back to his suite to change, ready for a day on the peak. He wondered briefly what it would do to them in the light of day, if it would have the same magnetising affect.

Once he was dressed, Draco Apparated onto the peak, dead centre of the clearing and was again assaulted by the heady scent of Ginny. It was the magic of the place doing this, almost as though it were a solid love potion giving off the scent of the person you were most attracted to. In the bright light of the sun, he could also see through the trees the horizon of the island on all sides. Draco decided not to get too close as he could already tell there was a vast drop from the edge just beyond the trees.

After some time looking out at the view, Draco dropped down onto the grass and inhaled deeply, letting the smell overwhelm him. It was a sensual overload and he could understand now why they had been so affected by the place last night. It would be a struggle when she arrived not to repeat what had happened the night before. When she arrived... It had been some time now since he had arrived, at least twenty minutes and he hadn't thought it would take her this long to ready herself, especially since she had almost been done with breakfast.

Draco waited another ten or so minutes more and only then did he start to grow suspicious. He had a vague and horrifying thought that she had perhaps been cornered by Astoria and put under idiotic questioning – but this seemed unlikely. There would be no reason for her to speak with Ginny, no thought that the pair of them had anything going on. Or perhaps Ginny had sought Astoria out and wished to question her. But that seemed even less likely, Ginny would not be so precious about his life with Astoria to seek the other woman out.

Then where was she?

Draco was not one to linger long and so disapparated from the peak, with some reluctance as it was almost addictive. In his suite, he called out to her. No response. Perhaps she was still downstairs, perhaps Matías had her locked in conversation – he was known to talk a great deal to guests too polite to walk away.

He walked into the bedroom, the sheets were still crumpled but there was a piece of paper folded on the bedside table. His heart thumped unpleasantly when he saw it – he knew it wasn't good.

 _Draco,_

 _The past few weeks I've spent here were completely unexpected. I came here to figure my life out, but I ended up leaving here with even less of an idea about how it's going to go. Instead, I spent these few weeks in a blaze of hedonism, living in such a way that I had never thought I would, least of all with someone I had considered an enemy._

 _For one crazy moment, I actually believed we might work back home. I am supposed to be brave, but I can't even bring myself to say this to your face: I believed this was more than just sex, even as early as our first couple of days together. But I doubted we could work outside of the island's power, until last night. Until last night, I felt I wasn't brave enough to stand with you in front of my family and friends and tell them that we were together. And that was one crazy moment when I imagined I could and damn all their opinions._

 _Then your ex shows up and makes me realise how selfish and indulgent all this really is. You were willing to throw away a chance at the family you wanted to carry on with me and I couldn't, I can't, allow that. I have to remember that we have barely even truly known each other for that long, and for you to disregard Astoria's offer so lightly seemed horrifying to me, considering the length of time we have been lovers. Your pride may be all that is stopping you from reconciling with Astoria and I don't want you to realise that too late. I'd rather spare both of us the needless pain, Merlin knows we don't want anymore of that._

 _Because of all that, I think it is best for me to leave now. Even if you don't carry on with Astoria, we both know that this has to stay on the island, we will return to normal life and move on. No matter what we say, it is important that our families and friends support the relationships we have, it never ends well when they don't._

 _Ginny._

Draco's first reaction was to follow her back home, make her see sense, force her to see sense. His second reaction was a feeling of futility and it was this that made him sink back into the mattress. It was as he had said before; you cannot force a woman to stay. No matter if he went after her, nothing he could say would dissuade her, nothing he could say would make her stop thinking she was doing him a favour by leaving.

It didn't matter to him that they had only been lovers for a few weeks. He had felt more for her than he had for Astoria in the four years they had been together. He could see Ginny as his wife, he could see her as the mother of his children and the length of their time together didn't matter to him. Draco had indulged himself in his time, but he knew when something meant more and this meant more to him than anything ever had.

But, he would let her be. He would let her go. If only for now, at least.

And it was this thought that made him realise how deeply he cared for her. He had known he would never bother Astoria again, and all the other women before her, once it was done, it was done. This one he knew he would never be able to rest truly until she was his and, one way or another, she would be.

* * *

Once again, thank you for all your reviews! They are much appreciated. I hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know if you do.


	7. Chapter 7

Draco stared down at the numbers on the yellowing parchment, his eyes slipping out of focus each time he tried to concentrate. He was supposed to be analysing the profits from the month's sales and rents, but this was proving difficult. After three months of throwing himself into the family business, something his father was practically ecstatic about, the long hours and mentally tiresome work was beginning to catch up with him. The work was also inescapably dull. Meeting potential investors, reading through tenant complaints, navigating wizarding housing law. It was impossibly dull.

His publisher continued to hound him for his third instalment, but so far he had barely written even a sentence. Draco had attempted to submit a half-finished draft of something he had written a long time ago, trying to pass it off as a serious effort, but his publisher had all but laughed in his face and told him not to pull that kind of crap again otherwise he could be in breach of his contract. Going to the island had been his chance to end the writer's block, but it had only managed to worsen it.

Draco blinked down at the numbers again and sighed. He took up the parchment and shoved it into the desk drawer, unable to think about the business any longer. Instead he left his seat and stood in front of the vast window that overlooked a dreary and rainy London; the office was set into a skyscraper, one of the tallest in the world and, although it was a feat of Muggle engineering, it was all the rage to own even a small square foot of the place across the Muggle and Wizarding worlds. The prestigious address looked good printed on the business cards and his father was not one to quibble about muggle realty when it made him look wealthy. Draco could see the tiny yellow lights from the cars weaving through traffic below in the concrete streets, all the City workers trudging through the rain in their trench coats and umbrellas, most heading for the nearest Tube or train station, tiny dots in the scene far below him.

Most of these people would be returning home to their waiting families, their husbands and their wives, their children. Draco would be going home to his house elf, his flat would be quiet as it always was and he would eat dinner whilst listening to the wireless. Zabini had invited him out to some new bar opening in Soho, an exclusive wizarding bar for only the richest in society. It did not sound like the place for him; once upon a time, he would have gone, he would have taken a pretty young thing home and sent her away in the morning. Now, he couldn't be bothered at all.

Draco had kept true to his own promise; he hadn't contacted Ginny, despite the overwhelming urge to. Even as he had returned from the island, he had to force himself to remember that this could only work if she came to him. Draco doubted that she ever would in her stubbornness. But he missed her more than he could stand for, more than he liked to admit to himself. He was supposed to be searching for a bride, for the future mistress of Malfoy Manor, not pining after a woman he had a holiday fling with. Yet how could he search when all he saw was her? How could he imagine another woman in that role when all he could think about was her? Her careless laughter, the easy smile that showed the dimples in her freckled cheeks, even the anger that made him want her more when it brightened her eyes with fire. He missed her sensuality, the effortless way with which she moulded to his own body, the burning desire she invoked him. This could not be replicated elsewhere, or by anyone else.

The only piece of news he had regarding her had been hungrily coveted and read hundreds of times over as it was covered in nearly every wizarding newspaper and magazine. That she had retired from international and domestic quidditch. That had been a month ago and Draco had been thoroughly shocked and bemused by the news. Only two months prior she had been saying how important it was for her to get back into training, if she was to ever get the captaincy then she would need to get her game back. Now, she had decided to retire. It was very strange and he wondered that there was more to it, whether she had been forced out by the league for whatever reason. Whatever it was, he read each line, looked at all the photos. Usually she was plastering on a large smile as she breezed past photographers into the current trendiest restaurant or into an exclusive bar, but he could tell it was fake. In his mind, she hadn't really wanted to retire, something or someone had forced her hand.

At this point, Draco knew it was time to go home. Whenever he started thinking about Ginny, there was no going back to work, especially when that work involved poring over dull numbers and analysing market data. Even the mere thought of it made his body slump in anticipation of imagined boredom. He collected his cloak and extinguished the lamps before leaving his office.

Draco heard a scuffle as soon as he stepped out of his office and saw his assistant, Rebecca, tucking something away hastily into her desk and Marcella trying and failing to look as though she were doing something important and work-related. This failed as she was nowhere near her desk, which happened to be in the lettings department.

"Oh, uh, Mr. Malfoy!" Rebecca said standing up. "Marcella just had some paperwork for me."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Rebecca, frankly, I couldn't care less what gossip rag Marcella has just been showing you," he said in a bored voice. "In fact, you can carry on looking at it elsewhere. I'm going home, the rest of you can too." He waved them away and continued on down the hall.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy!" they both called after him in unison. "This is big news," he heard one of them say, Marcella he thought. "I wonder who it is with... certainly not her ex. No way!"

Draco rolled his eyes, probably the latest celebrity scandal causing a furore with the press. He made it to the apparition point and promptly disapparated directly into his flat. Immediately, the smell of cooking filled his nostrils – Frisk was hard at work in the kitchen, as he always was whenever Draco got home. He had a knack for sensing when he would be returning, even though it was always irregular. Although he would be eating alone, Draco preferred his flat to the manor – he had lived there for near on five years and it was to his own modern tastes compared to the stuffy, old-fashioned manor he had grown up in.

"Ah, Draco, you are home earlier than I anticipated."

Draco sighed as he turned around to see his father framing the doorway from the hall. He had a irritating habit of showing up unannounced ever since Draco had returned from holiday. "Don't you ever think it might be a good idea to warn me of your coming?"

"Unnecessary," Lucius replied airily as he walked into the living room and sat himself down in Draco's favourite armchair. "You don't go anywhere after work aside from here, so no need for me to check when you'll be home."

Draco was not impressed. "I could have friends over, I could have brought a witch home," he suggested. "This would have been rather awkward if I had done so."

Lucius laughed. "You haven't been out with that wastrel, Zabini, since you returned from that island," he said, waving a hand as though to bat away Draco's objections. "And you certainly haven't brought a woman home since then, either."

Draco sat down on the sofa, almost as though he were a sulky teenager. He didn't much appreciate his father barging in on his privacy, he might have to revoke his parents rights to Apparating into the flat from now on. "How would you know what I do?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow at his son, a perfectly shaped arch. "Your mother is adept at knowing most of what you do. You know how friendly she is with Zabini and Zabini has a big mouth," he said distastefully.

Draco did know Zabini had a big mouth, it was his fault that Astoria had come to the island and ruined it all with Ginny. "What do you want this time, anyway?" he asked, giving up trying to make his point about invading his private space.

"Now, now, Draco, there's no need to be so dismissive," Lucius said with a tsk. "But, your mother is worried about you."

Draco sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. "She's _always_ worried about me," he said irritably.

"You are our only child," his father pointed out. "You are also our only proper link to wizarding society since... well." Lucius gestured carelessly with his hand.

"Since the war you wanted," Draco finished. He had never really forgiven his father for how he had romanticised the Dark Lord and led him down a dangerous and idiotic path. "And you get about well enough without having to constantly nose into my personal affairs."

"You know very well your mother and I wish for you to settle down," Lucius said, now in a firmer tone, a stern look on his face reminiscent of the one he would use whenever he had to tell Draco off as a small boy.

"And you know it was my intention to settle down," Draco retorted, pushing himself up from the sofa in near fury. His father knew very well that he had been intending to marry for some time now, therefore his irritation with Draco was unfounded and undeserved. He went over to the drinks cabinet and grabbed a bottle of Firewhiskey from within, a bad choice as this only reminded him of those deep amber eyes set into the heart-shaped face of Ginny Weasley. Draco pushed that image from his mind and poured himself a drink.

"Yes, I would like one too, Draco," Lucius called over to him. Draco rolled his eyes and poured another one before slouching back onto the sofa and handing his father his drink. "There is no need to be so sulky, Draco, you are twenty-seven, not seventeen." Draco chose to ignore this comment and decided to chuck back the drink and relished the feel of the burn at the back of his throat as the liquid warmed his body from within, very much like how he reacted from Ginny's gentle touch. "Besides, you have been off since you returned from that island. We know about Astoria chasing after you there, silly girl. Malfoy's have more pride than to flock back into the arms of someone who has rejected them. And you are better off without her," Lucius added before sipping at his own drink. "Your mother and I were happy to find out you had sent her away. But you are not _right_ , not right at all since coming back. Your mother believes Astoria's put you under some sort of curse. I believe you met a woman."

Draco stared at his father, who smirked as he finished off his Firewhiskey. Lucius placed his empty glass on the coffee table in front of him. "I see I am right," he said with a triumphant glint in his eyes. "Who was she to cause such melancholy in you for three months?"

"No one," Draco muttered, looking away from his father and staring at the empty glass instead.

"Then end this madness and find yourself a bride," Lucius said, stern once more. "Most people move on from base holiday flings, you've been moping for months! The business is doing well under your attentions, but I do not expect my only child to be shackled to work. You must go out, even if it is with that silly boy, Zabini. Or if this woman means so much to you, go and seek her out! Just do something, Draco, your mother and I tire of your moodiness."

"You don't understand at all, father," he replied in a firm tone. "I'll go about my own life the way I choose, Merlin knows your choices led our family into nothing but trouble."

Draco knew that was a low blow, but he was sick of his parents trying to interfere, trying to force a romance with women he had no interest in. "You know well enough how to insult me, Draco," his father said, now stoic as he fought the anger Draco knew he was feeling back. "But, you know we only do this because we wish for nothing but the best for you."

"And what is the best?" he asked loudly, getting up again in frustration. "A beautiful Pureblood with excellent breeding, no familial taints? Even Astoria wasn't good enough for you and you want me to seek out this woman I had a fling with?"

Lucius frowned. "I know you wouldn't disappoint us, Draco," he said, but Draco sensed a hesitancy there.

Draco scoffed. "Disappoint?" he laughed now. "You'd disown me if you knew who it was. And she was damn well worth it!"

Lucius gaped at his son, most likely because he had never seen him act this way before. Draco didn't care, he was utterly tired of trying to make his parents happy, trying to rewrite their wrongdoings and make them see their way of thinking was outdated and dangerous. "Don't tell me it was a muggle," Lucius whispered, his eyes wide.

Draco sighed loudly. "This is what I mean!" he shouted over his father. "Did that war not teach you anything? Did it not show you how _stupid_ your bigotry really is? Merlin! You can still barely even praise a muggleborn!"

Lucius closed his eyes and held his head, before rising from the armchair. "Some things will never change, Draco," he said, standing on a level with his son and it frightened Draco how much he actually looked like him. "Do you believe I still want another war? No. Do I wish to avoid muggles and mudbloods still? Yes, where possible. Now, tell me, were you sleeping with a muggle, or a mudblood for that matter?"

"You're an old fool," Draco sneered before turning his back on his father to sit back down. He wasn't worth standing up for right now. "Since you care so much, no, it wasn't a muggle or a muggleborn," he said in a biting tone, "it was Ginny Weasley." Lucius practically fell back into the armchair, a look of utter horror on his face. Draco had no idea what had possessed him to reveal that which he had kept to himself for so long. Perhaps he was mad like his father had said, but it felt good to tell. "At least she's a Pureblood."

"You... you _stupid_ boy," his father rasped as he fumbled inside his robes. Draco gripped the handle of his wand in his pocket as he thought Lucius meant to curse him, but he only pulled out a rolled up newspaper. "You utterly foolish boy. Look at that!" he said loudly, tossing the paper at him with wild eyes. "Look at that!"

Draco was not expecting this reaction at all, if anything he thought his father would have left him in peace for at least a week or two. He rolled out the newspaper all the same and was immediately greeted with a large black-and-white photo of Ginny on the front cover of _The Evening Prophet_ , a large smile on her face as she strode past photographers into a trendy bar with her Quidditch teammates. It was an older photo from last Christmas as she was wrapped up in glamorous winter dress robes and had tinsel wrapped around her neck and in her hair. It wasn't until he dragged his eyes away from the photo that he saw the emblazoned headline screaming in big letters: QUIDDITCH STAR QUITS FOR BABY!

The image of his assistant and her friend earlier hiding away something and their subsequent gossip sharpened in his mind. This must have been what they were gossiping about... Draco looked up at his father, who appeared to have calmed down and was surveying his son with a cool stare. "Go on, read it," he urged. "Foolish boy."

Draco leant over the paper as he flattened it against the surface of the coffee table, trying to ignore Ginny making faces at him and egging her friends on as well. "International Quidditch star, Ginny Weasley, as we all know, retired a month ago from the game, leaving fans of the Harpies devastated despite a poor show last season. Retirement for a healthy twenty-six year old woman from the game of Quidditch left many fans in shock, not only because she is a firm favourite, but because the former Harpies team captain, well renowned and beloved fan favourite, Gwenog Jones, only retired from the game last year at the age of forty six.

Now, our reliable sources can exclusively reveal (No matter what Skeeter prints) that Ms. Weasley is in fact with child. This will come as a shock to fans who have followed Ms. Weasley's break-up with Harry Potter and empathised with her after being so tragically heartbroken, as our sources can also reveal that Mr. Potter is _not_ the father. The former couple have not seen each other since their break-up, despite Ms. Weasley's brother being a firm friend of Mr. Potter's.

This leaves many of us here at Prophet HQ wondering who could be the Daddy. Ms. Weasley has not been linked with anyone else since breaking up with Mr. Potter, however there is no quibbling over _when_ this could have happened. It is well known that the Harpies training regime is one of the most rigorous in the league and begins earlier than most other teams, and we know Ms. Weasley did attend these training sessions in early August. Therefore, we can only conclude that the deed was done some time after her disastrous season ended and before she began training for the Harpies again, as she disappeared for some time from the public eye.

Needless to say, it is going to be an exciting for her fans trying to figure out who could have possibly fathered her child. For more on this story, please turn to page five."

Draco could not turn to page five, he felt like his stomach had just dropped right out of him and had left him with only emptiness, confusion and hunger.

"I brought that along to have a good laugh over," his father said, cutting through Draco's messy thoughts. He had almost forgotten his father were there. "Seems like the joke is on the Malfoy name, instead. You foolish, _foolish_ boy! Is it yours, then?" he asked, his tone meandering towards anger and threatening to spill into fury as he glared at his son. "Or can we assume that this is the product of a different fling? Not so difficult to imagine since she so easily fell into your bed!"

Draco was in disbelief and confused, but he knew he wasn't going to allow his father to speak about Ginny like that. He had tolerated their snide comments on Astoria for long enough, but he wasn't going to accept this. "She didn't fall into bed with me," he said in a firm voice, sneering at his father. "Don't _ever_ talk about her like that or I will curse you so bad, mother won't even be able to recognise you."

Lucius only smiled. "I see you have been more foolish than I first thought," he muttered. "To defend her so vehemently... You never stood up for Astoria in this way, though you never managed to get her with child either..." Lucius shook his head. "What _possessed_ you to fraternise with a blood traitor?" he hissed. "Even Astoria seems tolerable compared to this pretender, a Weasley too! You will sort this problem out, Draco, and soon."

"Problem?" Draco snapped, wishing for his father to leave now so he could think. "I don't see that there is a problem aside from the fact that this is how I have found out."

"You don't see a problem?" Lucius asked, a sneer curling his lips now. "You don't see a problem with the Weasley name tainting ours? You don't see a problem with her bearing an illegitimate heir? You don't see that a problem with how her own family will react when they find out their only daughter carries the child of a former Death Eater? You are naive and childish to think these are not problems. You are not ready to even _be_ a father, so when I say you need to sort out this problem, you know very well what I imply."

"Get out," Draco growled. "Get _out!"_ he yelled, rising from his seat and withdrawing his wand. Draco would never truly harm his father, but he felt close to it and if he didn't leave right now, he feared he would do something equally unforgivable.

Lucius rose slowly from the chair, standing level with Draco as they glared at each other momentarily, both with their hands on their wands. There had been a time when Draco would have retreated from his father, would have feared the lecture and his father's stinging jinx on his behind, but those days were gone and he stood just as tall as his father now and knew worse spells to counter him with. "You are lucky that you are my only child, Draco, otherwise I would disown you. You are lucky your mother would kill me if I were to do so. So, I will leave you to think clearly about this, but do not expect me to keep this from your mother. I will not spare you her disappointment."

Draco gave him a curt nod and watched him disapparate. He slumped into his armchair after pulling the paper across the table so he could read it again, but all he could see was Ginny on the front cover laughing with her friends and it was then that he felt the ache inside him grow considerably. He wanted her smile back to himself, he wanted her curled up in his bed now, hiding away from the vile press and their hounding. He wanted to trace her freckles with his fingers along her naked back.

He sat like that for some hours, even as he ate his dinner, just staring at the photo on the newspaper. How long had she known she were pregnant? How long was she planning on keeping him in the dark about it? That singular thought angered him beyond fury – How could she keep this from him? And for what? Because she worried what their friends and families might think? Draco had had enough, he had given her space to come to him, he had been willing to wait, but circumstances had changed and he was filled with determination to seek her out, to claim her and his child once and for all.

"Frisk!" he called as he stood from the armchair, his legs protesting as he had been seated for so long.

"Master calls," the house elf said as he came through the kitchen door. "What is the master wanting from Frisk, please?"

"I need you to find this woman," he said, picking up the newspaper and shoving it under the house elf's nose so he would take it. "Her name is Ginny Weasley."

"Yes, the Weasley is famous Quidditch star," Frisk said as he studied the photograph. "Miss Weasley was girlfriend of the Boy Who Lived -."

"Yes, yes," Draco said in irritation. "We all know about Potter. I'm not interested in him, I am interested in _her_. I need you to locate her, find out her daily routine, then report back to me when you have sufficient information."

Frisk seemed perturbed by this order. "Who will be feeding Master? Frisk must look after Master. Master cannot cook, Master cannot clean or do his laundry -."

"Frisk, I will be perfectly fine without you for a few days," Draco said in exasperation. "I am an adult." Despite saying this, Draco was well aware that he could be living off of greasy takeaways for a few days, either that or he would have to go crawling back to the Manor. That would never happen. Not with the way his father had just spoken to him.

Frisk bowed after tucking the newspaper away inside his pillowcase vest. "Frisk will do as Master asks," he said solemnly before disapparating with a sharp CRACK!

Draco sighed and rubbed his temple, tired by his work at the office and tired by the ache in his chest. He went over to the drinks cabinet again and poured himself another Firewhiskey, swilling the contents around before downing it whole. He poured another and drank another. Briefly, he wondered how he could have been so careless, a vague reel of memories streaming into his mind and showing him how careful he had always been with previous sexual partners. He had always used the contraceptive charm and he had always ensured Astoria was stocked well with birth control potion – it would never do to have a child borne before wedlock, it would be illegitimate and have no claims to the Malfoy estate or inheritance. He had never taken any chances before, never risked such an occurrence before, but he knew Ginny had been nothing like his previous partners. She had been like an immersive and all-consuming flame, drawing him in, making him touch even when he knew it was forbidden. He had been so consumed by lust for her, he had never had time to think about asking her if she was taking anything or to even cast the charm on himself.

It didn't matter at any rate. He had wanted to start a family, it was just not the way in which he had envisioned it starting, apart from the mother who had taken herself off away from him in a fit of foolish supposed selflessness. Still, he had no regrets on that front. Ginny would soon see that there was no other path to take but with him, she would soon understand that she belonged with him.


	8. Chapter 8

Draco awoke as weak sunlight streamed onto his face. His head was pounding, his face hurt and his throat was sore. When he managed to crack his eyes open, he realised he had fallen asleep on the sofa and that the light was coming in through the tall curtainless windows. The sky was clear, but it was a weaker autumnal sunshine that shone on his face, even then the light was too bright for him. An empty bottle of Firewhiskey lay on its side on the coffee table beside a single empty glass, another empty glass stood at the far end by the armchair.

His father had been there last night, and he had argued with him. Draco did not usually argue with his father, they were normally very amiable towards each other. A father-son relationship based on respect. But Draco's respect for his father had almost disappeared entirely when he had spoken about Ginny in such a way, when he had implied that Draco should pressure her to get rid of the child.

The child... In his alcohol-induced daze, he had forgotten about that. He was going to be a father and this thought made him smile up at the ceiling. He was going to be a father. Draco already felt overwhelmed by the news, overwhelmed because he had thought his pursuit for a family would take another few years at least, overwhelmed because soon his life would change dramatically. The spare bedroom in his flat would become a nursery, not somewhere for Zabini to crash after a particularly horrendous night out. The flat might even have to be exchanged for a townhouse in the city instead. This would be a whole new generation of Malfoy's and it would return the family back to its previous state as important wizarding figures worthy of listening to.

For all that to happen, he needed Ginny first and foremost. He needed Ginny to gather her senses and bother to inform him that he was going to be a father. Then he vaguely remembered sending a reluctant Frisk away to find her instead, and as he realised this, his stomach gave a low growl of hunger. That was rather annoying. A trip to the greasy cafe just down the street would have to suffice, but he wasn't at all certain that he had any muggle money and a trip to Gringott's seemed rather superfluous. He would have to go to the Leaky Cauldron instead or he would have to make himself toast, and that would not be sufficient to satiate his hunger.

Draco sat up and immediately regretted it, a pounding in his head making him shut his eyes tight and groan. Frisk kept a stash of remedial potions in the kitchen somewhere, so before he did anything else, Draco sought relief.

 _POP!_

"Dear Merlin! Draco!" A woman's voice exclaimed, well-spoken and authoritative. He groaned again when he realised it was his mother. He really needed to sort out those wards. " _What_ have you done to yourself?!" Draco felt his mother's cool hands on his head and then on his arms, guiding him back onto the sofa. "What is wrong with you, Draco?"

"I am fine, mother!" he snapped, waving her off. "I drank too much last night, and you speaking isn't helping my headache!"

Narcissa Malfoy cared deeply for her son, and treated him with such care as she had never done with anyone else, not even her own husband. However, when that son showed her any form of disrespect, she was certain to give him the very same treatment she would give anyone else who spoke to her so carelessly. "You would do well to think before you speak to me in such a manner, Draco!" it was her turn to snap at him now, her tone admonishing. "I come here to discuss this problem _you_ have caused in a rational and reasonable manner, unlike your silly father, you will be grateful for my support! I could decide not to give it at all."

Draco sighed, wondering why in Merlin's name he had to tell his father that he had slept with Ginny, that he was the father to the child she carried and that he had feelings for her. He could appreciate Ginny's wish for secrecy more than ever. "Mother, I apologise," he said sincerely, his voice scratchy as he spoke. "However, I am in no fit state to discuss Ginny Weasley with you. I am not sure if you have ever been hungover before, but it is not pleasant."

Narcissa tsked. "Never been hungover before?" she rolled her blue eyes at him, a gesture she only reserved for those closest to her. "Before you were born, Draco, your father and I were constantly hungover. A simple remedy should do it, where is your house elf?"

Draco leaned forward and held his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes as he attempted to adjust to the pain throbbing in his temple. "I sent him away to locate Ginny."

Narcissa tsked again and sighed heavily. "And how do you suppose you were going to feed yourself? I know how incompetent you are with domestic spells," she muttered as he felt her leave her seat. "You know your father knows... _people_ who could have done the job just as well as your house elf?"

By people, Draco knew his mother meant the less than desirable witches and wizards of society that his father still had ties to. They were the kind of people businessmen would always need to understand their demographic, to bribe to do dirty work that needed to be discreet and untraceable. "I don't want anyone like that anywhere near Ginny," he said with more vehemence than he intended. "And, in case you are unaware, father is not very pleased with me at present."

Draco sat back into the cushions of the sofa and felt able to look at his mother, who stood beside him with an exasperated look on her face. She retrieved her wand from inside her robes and cast a summoning charm. They waited momentarily as they heard the clinking of glasses moving out of the way, cupboard doors opening and then finally, the kitchen door swung open to allow a tiny bottle with bright pink liquid in it to zoom straight into Narcissa's waiting hand. "Drink this," she said, handing the bottle to Draco before seating herself in the same armchair his father had occupied yesterday. Whenever his parents visited him, the fact that he was master of his own home seemed not to matter to them, nor the fact that he was no longer a child that could be told off. Still, Draco took the bottle and drank the contents within and was grateful for it. "Better now?" his mother asked haughtily.

Draco nodded as he felt his headache melt away with relief along with the scratchy feeling in his throat.

"Good, now we can discuss this matter properly," she said in a business-like tone.

"Mother, I am hungry," he said bluntly. "The first thing I am going to do is shower, dress and get myself some breakfast."

Narcissa gave another heavy sigh. "Really! This is a very important matter, Draco, and you seem totally unbothered by it!" she said, her eyes wide as she took in her son whilst he stretched and stood from the sofa.

"What is there to be bothered by?" he shrugged. "I wanted a family, _you_ wanted me to have a family – I'm having a child. Perhaps not in the way I had planned, but there it is."

Narcissa was incredulous, her fingers tightened on the arms of the chair and her eyes bulged. "I thought Lucius was exaggerating your nonchalance," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "We did not expect you to go on holiday and find the first willing girl you could! We expected there would be some time between Astoria, we expected someone more suitable to bear the next Malfoy heir! We expected better from you, Draco!"

Draco could not help but sneer at his mother. "So, you have come to insult the mother of my child too? Whomever I would have chosen would never have been tolerable enough for either of you!"

"There were many young witches suitable to bear the name Malfoy, and you passed each of them over for a Greengrass and a Weasley!" his mother said angrily. "Yes, have your fun with these girls, but to have considered them as marriage material, as mother material, is disappointing. It is disappointing that you were not careful – now this Weasley girl has claims to your fortune, a fortune your ancestors worked hard to build. What have her ancestors done? Overpopulated the world with Weasley's, engendered nothing but blood traitors and smeared our name!"

Draco scoffed. "The Weasley's may be many things, and I have no love for most of them, however it was father's poor decisions that smeared our name," he replied with a derisive smile, then he laughed. "And at least we all know she will give me many children."

Narcissa looked disgusted by this. "You intend to marry her then?" she asked, barely able to look at him.

"Do you think I would allow my child to be illegitimate?" he asked, frowning at his mother.

Narcissa scoffed in disbelief, huffing at her son and shaking her head. "I don't know how to react to this, Draco," she finally said. "I have never had cause to be disappointed in you before, never. The feeling is foreign to me. Your father has taken us up the wrong path many a time, and I will concede that. But, you. I have never had cause to worry over what you could do."

"Then just accept my decision," he said, seating himself nearest to her and taken her cool hand. "This will be your first grandchild, surely you can see past who the child's mother is?"

Narcissa stared directly at her son. "I have cut off contact with family before this, Draco," she said quietly, her usually strong voice wavering. "Reputation meant everything then. Reputation is all we have now."

"And what a reputation it is," Draco muttered in a dark voice. "If I marry her, think how well that will make you and father look. The world has changed since the Dark Lord reigned, surely you can see that. I know father will not, but you can. You lost your sister to the cause," he said in a gentle voice, knowing this was a tough subject. His mother had not known what to feel when Bellatrix had died; her sister's mind had been lost many years before in Azkaban, perhaps even before that when she first met the Dark Lord, she hadn't been the same person for many years. But it was the loss of another sister, another tie to her childhood. "Isn't it time to embrace the new world?"

Narcissa looked at her son with a wide-eyed expression, fear in her eyes at the prospect of change. "I fear there is no place for people like your father and I in this new world," she said quietly.

"Only if you persist in separating yourself from it," Draco said in exasperation. "Mother, I need your help in this, I need to know I have your support at least. Even if you do not agree with her politics or the people she chooses as friends, support _me_ in the choice I have made."

Narcissa continued to stare at her son and Draco knew she fought with herself. "I lied to the Dark Lord for you, Draco," she whispered, raising a hand to touch his cheek. "I risked my life for you back then and I will support you in this now, if that is what you wish to do."

Draco shut his eyes and sighed in relief, a smile gracing in his face. "Thank you, mother," he said, lifting the hand he held and kissing her there.

Narcissa smiled back. "I should have known you would never fall in line," she said, shaking her head. "You always asked too many questions, you never could resist a pretty face either... and, I will say that for her, she is a beauty, at least, despite that garish shade of red that they call hair."

"Mother..." he warned, standing up now and pulling her with him. "I expect you to make an effort not to be rude to Ginny, a good effort too."

Narcissa looked disgruntled. "Fine," she huffed. "But it is only for you, Draco, and my future grandchild. Oh! We must redecorate your nursery at the manor! And, we will have to research the best midwives, she must not even _think_ of giving birth at St. Mungo's... And then we must discuss tutors -."

"Mother! Please settle down," Draco insisted. "She hasn't even told me yet!"

"And what of it? These things must be thought of and not a moment too late," she said, a little taken aback. "And what does she mean by not having the good grace to inform you of this herself? It's very rude."

Draco decided it was best not to answer as he felt hungrier by the minute and any further conversation would delay him being able to eat. So, it was decided that they would both go to the Leaky Cauldron, more so because now all his mother wanted to discuss was the baby and she didn't seem as though she would tire of the subject. That was how she ended up with him the entire morning and he didn't manage to shake her off until he told her he had to go to work.

"Let me know when you find her, Draco," his mother said pointedly. "I must speak with her about all we have discussed, it is imperative that this child is raised as a Malfoy."

Draco agreed, only because this would make her go back home. Truthfully, Ginny would have none of it, mostly because she was so stubborn.

Several days had passed and Draco was beginning to tire of the takeaways and eating out. He had always preferred home comforts and right now, his flat looked like the storage room of a restaurant, packed out with takeaway boxes and plastic cutlery all over the place. His sink was filled with crockery that needed washing up, but again he lacked in that particular area of wizardry. His sheets needed changing too. The only thing that was really clean was Draco himself.

After his mother's visit, he had been bombarded with owls bearing letters from her, giving further suggestions in regards to the baby and pestering him to go out and seek Ginny himself or to ask his father to contact his people to do it. But Draco had had no further contact with his father since that evening a week ago and he wasn't about to go and ask him for assistance. Draco could be just as stubborn and proud as his father, and he wouldn't speak with him until he apologised for what he asked Draco to do.

Those letters were strewn about his coffee table amongst copies of the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, Lumos and even the Quibbler. All covered the scandal of Ginny Weasley's surprise pregnancy and who could be the possible father. The Quibbler had the funniest suggestion – they believed that it was a member of the Vampire Conspiracy and this was their attempt to infiltrate the British wizarding world. The others were more mundane – various Quidditch stars were suggested, all of whom came out to deny any involvement. Still, they had not managed to track Ginny down either for comment or photographs, it seemed she was immensely good at hiding and this was why his elf was struggling to discover her. Various friends and family members had been hounded, however, and all had declined to comment, particularly Ron Weasley who wasn't so kind in his refusal to speak to the press. The papers only listed their information as coming from "sources", which meant it could only be coming from someone not entirely close to Ginny or it was all made up.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Draco looked up from his spot in his armchair and sighed, hoping his mother had not decided to now make her suggestions to his face rather than in letter. He had also changed the wards to stop them from turning up unannounced inside his flat. He eventually got up as the knocking persisted and went to the door to look out of the spyhole. Fuck sake... it was Zabini.

"What do you want?" he called through the door to his friend.

"Merlin, Malfoy, can't a friend visit another without being asked what he wants?" Zabini's voice came from the other side. "I haven't seen you in weeks."

Draco sighed again, but opened his door all the same. "Fine, come in," he muttered, stepping aside to let the other man in.

"Fucking hell, mate, what have you been doing?" Zabini asked, halting as he took in the rubbish around the room. "It smells like one of those muggle kebab shops in here!"

Draco shut the door. "If you're going to insult the way I live, Zabini, you can piss off," he grumbled as he walked past him and slumped back into the armchair. "Matter of fact, tell me what you want and then piss off."

Zabini seemed shocked as he didn't sit down straight away and also didn't immediately respond to Draco's insult. "Where's your house elf?" he asked, looking around as if expecting to find Frisk buried amongst the mounds of takeaway debris.

"On an errand," Draco replied shortly.

"For how long?"

"Does it matter?" snapped Draco. "Just tell me what you want, will you!"

Zabini's smooth face screwed up and he threw his friend a dirty look. "I came here to check if you were still alive," he said with a shrug. "Although now I can see that you are barely living at all." Zabini moved further into the room, standing over Draco and surveying all the debris around him. "What the fuck is all this? You like reading women's magazines now?" Zabini picked up Witch Weekly and whistled. "Shame about Weasley, saw her a few times in a couple of bars – she's even hotter than when we were at school. Now she's got baggage..."

Draco snatched the magazine out of Zabini's hand and tossed it out of his reach. "As if she would ever consider you anyway," Draco said in a curt tone.

Zabini dropped onto the sofa and picked up another magazine. "She definitely considered someone," he laughed, which only served to worsen Draco's mood. "Merlin... The bloody Quibbler! I've never seen you so interested in the press, Malfoy, you looking at investing? I wouldn't bother with the Quibbler for a start -."

"I am not investing in any of these gossip rags!" he snapped, irritated. Draco wanted to be alone, he wanted to make sure he could leave whenever Frisk arrived. Having Zabini there was detrimental to that plan as it would look suspicious and Zabini was a very nosey person.

Zabini was quiet for a moment as he looked at the newspapers covering the table, then there were some of the letters interspersed throughout in his mother's tiny handwriting. Draco had not thought to remove them, but he was certain that his friend would have to pick the letters up to decipher what was written on them and not even Zabini was that rude. "Why are you so interested in this story then? Since when have you given a damn about the Weasley's?"

"Is it a bloody crime now to read the newspaper? Is it my fault that this story is plastered all over the front pages?" he asked, gesturing to the newspapers. "You are too nosey for your own good, Zabini, always looking for a bit of gossip. Maybe you should apprenticed with Rita Skeeter."

Zabini pursed his lips, his brown eyes narrowing at his friend. "Ha ha, so funny," he said drily.

"I'm serious," Draco insisted. "Been having a good gossip with my mother, talking to her about how I never go out anymore? Don't think I never hear about this, Zabini."

Zabini never had the good grace to look at least a little bit ashamed and now was no different. "You don't ever come out, and Narcissa asked, so I told," he replied casually. "There is no gossiping involved."

Draco nodded, unconvinced. "I am fairly certain that was is a lie," he replied. "Anyway, you can see that I am alive, you can kindly piss off now."

Zabini glared at Draco but rose from the sofa all the same. "Fine," he huffed. "Have it your way. Don't expect me to find you a bloody date for the Ministry gala next weekend."

"I do perfectly well on my own with the women, thanks, Zabini," he retorted. "And who says I'm going to that stupid gala anyway?"

Zabini smirked. "Your father," he said simply. "He said so to Narcissa just the other day – said it was a good opportunity for you to find a wife and keep the Malfoy name in the press... for _good_ deeds this time." Zabini continued to smirk as a look of fury descended onto Draco's features.

"I don't give a damn what my father wants me to do, damned to the gala!" he spat. They were nothing but glorified parties for senior members of the Ministry to pat themselves on the back and pretend to care about causes they had no clue about. A reason for rich women to get dressed up and find another equally rich husband and vice versa. It was nothing but a sham and he hated the event.

"You do this every year," Zabini said boredly. "You complain about being forced to go, and then you go anyway, and then complain about having gone in the first place. Suck it up and accept you are going! Someone has to make the Malfoy's look half-decent these days and it isn't going to be your father."

Draco would have defended his father if he wasn't so angry with him at the moment, not that Zabini would listen – the pair of them despised each other ever since Zabini had ruined one of his father's priceless vases when they were younger. "I'm not going," he insisted, crossing his arms.

"Famous last words," Zabini muttered as he mirrored Draco's movement. "I've got a date already – You remember Eloise Midgen?"

Draco burst out laughing, the sound a little bit foreign to him as he realised he hadn't properly laughed in a while. "Eloise _Midgen_? From Hufflepuff?" he choked out.

"You won't be laughing when you see her, Malfoy," Zabini sniffed, sending another dirty look his way. "She's even hotter than Weasley in her Quidditch gear."

Draco stopped laughing, not liking the way in which Zabini spoke about Ginny. Not that it should matter, he had spoken about women like that before, had even agreed with Zabini before about other women, but this was different. Ginny was his and he couldn't accept anyone else thinking she was attractive.

"Merlin, you look like I've slapped you," Zabini chuckled. "Is it so hard for you to admit, even now, that Weasley is fire?"

Draco swallowed, he knew more than anyone that Ginny was fire. Fire burning in his hands and underneath him, flickering and dancing unpredictably about him. "She's pregnant," he finally said, plastering on a look of disgust. "That's not exactly attractive."

Zabini scoffed at him. "It is for whoever got her knocked up in the first place," he said assuredly.

"I though we were talking about Eloise Midgen?" Draco said, trying to turn the conversation back around from far less dangerous waters.

"I thought you wanted me to piss off?" Zabini said with a smile, flashing his impossibly white teeth. Draco was sure he got them whitened.

"I do, I just wanted to point out that I am not going to the gala next weekend," Draco replied carelessly. "You can show yourself out."

Zabini laughed again. "I'll see you next week then," he called out as he made for the door. "And don't wear green, I've already got my suit lined up."

Draco rolled his eyes. He didn't care what Zabini was wearing, he was not going and that was that.


	9. Chapter 9

Draco buttoned up his shirt and scowled at himself in the large mirror that adorned the wall in his opulent bathroom.

"You will never get a dance pulling that face, young man," the mirror said in a derisive voice. "Better to smile."

"When I want the opinion of an object," he retorted. "I'll ask for it."

"Well, really... this is all I am made for," the mirror replied, offended.

Draco did not say anything back, it was futile to argue with a disembodied voice. He picked up his jacket from the back of the bathroom door – a dark blue velvet tuxedo with matching trousers – and shrugged it on. Lastly, he used his wand to tie his black bowtie.

"Five minutes!" A shrill voice erupted from the silver watch on his wrist.

Draco was thoroughly disgruntled by this turn of events, more so because it was exactly as Zabini had said. His mother had ended guilt-tripping him into attending the gala, and he only agreed because it was important to her that he be seen doing good, especially by the Ministry. It would be good for his father, who still had to endure visits from parole officers in the Magical Law Enforcement department. Not that he cared, his father still hadn't bothered to apologise to him, but he did it for his mother and that was all.

The mess in his flat had gradually worsened until Draco had to give in a finally call Frisk back to clear it away. Frisk had returned, looking very dishevelled and careworn more than usual, however he had not gone hungry it seemed as he had seemed to gain more weight than he had left with. He had managed to get work in various kitchens in popular wizarding restaurants, and though he heard Ginny's name mentioned many a time, he had seen nothing of her. Then he had moved onto spying on her known associates as they left their places of work; her brothers in their joke shop, her sister-in-law as she left the Ministry. When Draco had called him back, Frisk had been staking out the Burrow, her childhood home and, though many people seemed to pass through, not one of them was Ginny. Draco thought it to be very strange.

Then, not a day later, the papers finally caught up with her in Diagon Alley, shopping with a few of her former teammates. All they managed to get were photographs as Ginny declined to make any comment other than "shove off!" Swiftly after that heckling from the press, they delighted in publishing the fact that she had gotten a legal document from the Wizengamot forbidding any members of the press to be within ten feet of her. Thus ended the press's intrusion and the speculation as there was nothing else they could report on except to recycle the same old suggestions, even then these were relegated to the middle pages now or disappeared altogether.

He had been tempted to send Frisk out after her again, but he decided against it. Draco was determined to get this gala over with first and then he would seek her out once and for all. She carried his flesh and blood within her, that was a bond of old and ancient magic that couldn't keep her hidden from him for long.

Draco's watch trilled loudly and buzzed against his wrist, signalling that it was time to leave. He straightened his jacket and ran a hand through his hair before disapparating. He landed in woodland, the frigid night air hit his face and his breath came out in dense fog in front of him. Much like any large wizarding event, this was held away from the prying eyes of muggles with additional charms to prevent them from wandering into the event area. He could hear others Apparating into the woodland around him and turned to see twinkling lights leading the way forward. Leaves and twigs crunched beneath his feet and he saw figures of more people around him, their voices filled with excitement as they spoke amongst each other, laughter ringing out and the buzz of talking surrounded him. Draco felt alone and wondered if it would have been so bad to have let Zabini find him a date, if only to simply walk in with.

A gigantic white marquee filled his eye line then as the trees thinned and the lighting became denser and brighter. There were a myriad of people waiting to walk through the golden arches that had been set up at the entrance, but a stony faced guard halted their progress as he let through a group of self-important VIPs, who waltzed past the riff-raff on the red carpet and disappeared through the arches. Draco shouldn't complain, he had been given a VIP ticket too and that was only because of the large donation he had made to the gala charity fund a few days ago.

"Ah, Malfoy! I knew you would make it!"

Draco turned to Zabini striding towards him with a very pretty looking woman trailing behind him, her hand grasping his. "Of course, you did. I expect my mother told you?"

Zabini laughed but ignored the comment. "Eloise," he said, drawing her closer. "You remember Draco Malfoy, don't you? Debonair Slytherin, worst Seeker in a century?"

Eloise gave a tinkling laugh at this. "Of course, I remember him," she laughed and she held out her hand to him as though she expected him to kiss it.

"I was not the worst Seeker in a century, you hippogriff," he shot back at Zabini as he spoke Eloise's hand instead.

Zabini laughed again. "He's just being polite, Eloise, dear," he murmured to his date, who seemed to laugh even more as Zabini spoke to her. Draco wondered if she would ever stop laughing. "Usually he calls me far worse names than that."

Draco rolled his eyes. He couldn't stand watching Zabini trying to be funny around women, it only resulted in him feeling uncomfortable and Zabini having an inflated sense of self-importance. "Shall we go in?" he said with a sigh.

Zabini smirked. "Let the evening begin." He gestured for Draco to go first, which he duly did with confidence. Even if he didn't want to be there, he had exude authority and nonchalance, nothing did that more than by looking confident. He strode up to the stone-faced guard, who looked just as immovable as his face, and presented him with his invite. The guard looked at it and back at Draco, sniffed in disgruntled fashion but let him pass through the rope all the same.

"Get a free drink with this, Misser Malfoy," the guard grumbled, shoving the invite back into his hand as he passed through. "Same goes for your friends 'ere."

"Noted," he replied and carried on walking as he tucked the card back into his jacket pocket.

"He was quite the pixie, wasn't he, Draco?" Zabini said behind him, humour in his voice. "Didn't seem to like you much." Eloise laughed. Again.

"Not many people do," he retorted.

Zabini didn't have time to reply as they entered the gala. The place itself was huge, various trays floated around with canapes and flutes of champagne amongst the guests, there was a sweeping staircase leading to a balcony area above from which to view the night sky and not doubt to woo a sweetheart, plush seating areas had been placed around the edges of the marquee all of which were draped with various materials giving the whole thing a decadent and luxurious look. Draco thought that to be rather extravagant considering the actual advertised purpose of these gala was to raise money for the gala charity – an organisation supposedly working towards assisting those people that had lost family in the war. Draco didn't believe any of it. He had never seen anything in the papers suggesting what they were doing with the money, but it was as he knew – an event designed to get the rich and famous together, with a handful of wannabes to stroke their egos, get drunk and fawn over themselves in the society papers for weeks.

"Quite the crowd," Zabini commented. He already had a champagne flute in his hand from which he sipped.

"It's the same crowd every year," Draco muttered.

"But this year, I've heard they've got the Patil sisters performing," Zabini said with a wink. "Very pretty, very talented and _very_ single."

"And I'm very uninterested," he replied, picking up a champagne flute from one of the passing trays as it floated past.

"Merlin, are you going to lighten up at all this evening?" Zabini said contemptuously. "I'd rather you have stayed at home if so... and, besides," he added in a whisper, close to Draco's ear "I don't want you killing my vibe with Eloise."

Draco scanned the room and spotted the buffet table, large as it was, along the entire length of one side of the marquee. "Take Eloise elsewhere then," he muttered back, "I'm getting some food."

"At least attempt to have fun, your parents won't be pleased when they look in the society papers tomorrow and find their son looking as disgruntled as troll who can't find his dinner," Zabini said before escorting Eloise the other way and disappearing into the crowd.

Draco knew Zabini was right, he had to at least make it look like he gave a shit about this gala and attempt to mingle. If only to please his mother anyway. Before that, food came first and so he made his way over to the buffet table, only to be accosted by a handful of Ministry officials he had met last year when he had attended with Astoria, a few bolshie witches who wished to claim a dance from him and an old friend of his father's who held him the longest and couldn't take the hint that Draco would like nothing more than to be left in peace.

"It is such a shame your father can't be here," the old man said, his shaky voice repeating the same phrase for what Draco felt was the hundredth time. "I _do_ believe it is harsh of the Ministry to exclude someone who has made such generous donations to the cause."

Draco did not know how else to convey to this man that he could not care less about having this conversation again. "I suppose his hatred of muggleborns can be overlooked, Mr. Fausted, it is _so_ trivial," he muttered into his glass before downing it. Draco felt as though alcohol had become a dear friend in the past couple of weeks.

"Sorry, my dear boy? My hearing does not do well," Fausted said loudly as the music had begun to start.

"I suppose this music won't do our conversation much good either," Draco replied, raising his voice as the sound of the harp and cellos travelled throughout the marquee. Other instruments began to join in, playing a sweet sounding melody meant for dancing with your partner. Sure enough, he spotted Zabini dancing with Eloise from a distance in front of the elevated orchestra.

"No, it won't," Fausted replied, shaking his head, but he continued to prattle on about Lucius and how much he had donated over the years. "And I daresay you will make many more generous contributions in the future, Mr. Malfoy. But, what ever happened to that lovely Greengrass girl? Were you not engaged?"

Draco wondered when this would come up and briefly wondered when would he finally be able to get some bloody food. "No, not anymore," he replied shortly, not wishing to go into details.

"Shame, shame," Fausted said, his wrinkly jowls quivering as he shook his head. "Always a shame when an engagement ends on a bad note. Why, even Harry Potter's engagement ended earlier this year! One of my old colleagues in the Auror department told me all he knew about it – sad way to end things for that poor girl. Obviously got to her, pregnant out of wedlock... very strange."

Draco felt his mind wandering again – it seemed everyone around him was determined to speak about Ginny Weasley and it was infuriating. It also infuriated him that this dusty old man felt he could pass comment. "Not strange at all, Mr. Fausted," he replied, perhaps a little more curt than he intended. "Happens all the time nowadays."

"I can't see your mother or father ever allowing it, had you been female that is," Fausted replied. "Allowing her to even attend a function such as this... That is not good for a baby at all."

Draco baulked. "What?" he asked, his eyes focused on Fausted properly for the first time that evening.

"I said it is not at all good for a pregnant witch to be amongst rabble-trousers," he said loudly, leaning in closer.

"No, before that!" Draco said impatiently, his grip on his drink tightening.

"I said her parents shouldn't allow her to have attended the gala," he replied, giving Draco a strange look as if to question his behaviour. Particularly when the stem of Draco's glass snapped in two and the flute fell to the floor with a tinkling smash.

Draco grasped the old man by his shoulders, dispensing with all decorum and not caring about the wide-eyed look the man gave him. "Where? Where did you see her?"

Fausted's mouth dropped open, his jowls quivering again as he spoke. "Over there," he gestured, "by the bar. But that was at least an hour ago. Why in Merlin's name do you want to know?"

Draco let him go. "I'm a fan of the Harpies," he called back to him as he rushed off towards the bar, striding past the dancefloor as he did so, his eyes focused on that single spot.

"Hey! Draco! Where are you going?" Zabini pulled up beside him, practically dragging Eloise along with him, her face flushed from the dancing.

"To the bar," he answered as he continued his pace.

"You've got that look, Draco," Zabini chuckled. "You seen something you like?"

Draco only nodded back and carried on walking, thankfully Zabini did not pursue him. Apparently he was content enough knowing his friend might actually be having a good time, instead of mooching about the place and making him look bad. But there was no sign of her when he got to the bar and he growled at this, denied at the first attempt already.

He called over the bartender, who came scurrying quickly to him. "Was there a lady with red hair sitting here earlier?" he asked over the music.

"Yes, yes," the bartender nodded. "It was Miss Weasley, from the Holyhead Harpies. She gave me her autograph!" Clearly the man hadn't been told the rule that staff were not to ask for autographs under no circumstances, but Draco was not one to care at present.

"Where did she go?" he asked, a touch of impatience in his voice.

"With her friend to the balcony," he answered gesturing to the stair case in the middle of the marquee.

"Friend? What _friend_?" Draco asked with a frown.

"A woman," he replied. "She had brown hair – She looked important."

Draco rolled his eyes. Granger. Of course she would be here, she was high up at the Ministry these days but he forgot where. Draco pushed a few galleons toward the man and left to make his way towards the stairs. As he ascended them, he could already feel a pleasantly cool breeze, which felt calming compared to the heated stuffiness of the throbbing crowd below, and no press were allowed up on the balcony either so he could stop forcing a smile wherever he walked.

The balcony went in a vast ring around the whole marquee, with only gauzy curtains separating the cold autumn air from the heat inside, and he allowed his gaze to drift along the whole length of it before he decided to walk along it. Draco felt now as though he were a predator searching for his prey, the way he observed and stalked about the other guests. After completing near enough a whole lap of the inner ring of the balcony, he finally spotted a flash of red disappearing behind one of the translucent curtains a short way ahead.

The music below was in full swing and it seemed as though many of the guests had decided they would rather like to dance. This worked well for Draco, the less people around the better. He stood just on the other side of the curtains, his heart racing and his palms growing sweaty from the anticipation as he looked through the material.

It was her.

That shade of hair was unmistakable, the way her shoulders sloped downwards and the curve of her neck were unmistakable. But he stopped himself from marching out there as he heard her speak.

"I'm fine, Hermione," she said in an insistent tone, and Draco noticed that Granger stood just a little ways to the side of Ginny, a concerned look on her face. "I just need some fresh air, it is very hot in there."

"Well, don't stay out here too long, Ginny," Granger replied, her tone firm. "You could catch a cold."

"I'm sure I will be fine, Hermione," Ginny said in exasperation. "Look, if you don't go back inside, I will hex you, OK?"

Granger rolled her eyes. "Fine, Ginny," she sighed. "Meet me downstairs when you're ready."

"To meet the vultures?" Ginny retorted.

"You know they aren't allowed within ten feet of you," Granger said reassuringly, squeezing her friend's hand before leaving her. Draco quickly retracted to the shadows before Granger found him eavesdropping and only came back into the light once she had descended the steps.

Draco breathed in a deep gulp of air, before pushing the curtain aside and letting his feet guide him to her. Even now, his pulse still raced and his breath quickened at the merest glimpse of her smooth, ivory coloured skin, and it looked so radiant in her dark green coloured dress. He was so close now that he could see the smattering of freckles on her shoulders, freckles he still remembered the tracks of. And now he could smell her, that sweet floral scent that drove him mad.

"Ginny," he said quietly, his voice steadier than he thought it would have been.

" _Draco_... w-what are you doing h-here?" her face turned up to his and he looked down at her.

He was determined to memorize every inch of her face now, not that he had forgotten one freckles that dotted her pert nose, nor had he forgotten the colour of those large amber eyes like two pools of Firewhiskey. "I was invited," he answered.

She turned her face away from him abruptly, her cheeks reddening and he knew he shouldn't, he knew it was risky but he couldn't stop himself. He reached for her and turned her face back to his, the fear in her eyes so apparent at what he might do.

"I think you have something to tell me, little nymph," he murmured close to her as he leant down, his arm resting on the railing. He hadn't even bothered looking at the view yet.

Ginny swallowed hard as she looked back at him. "I-I didn't expect you to be here," she said quietly, her eyes dropping from his gaze.

"As you can see, I am here," he said. "Look at me. Look at me," he demanded, but he said it gently enough. Her gaze met his again. "It doesn't matter what you expected, it doesn't matter when you planned on telling me, if you ever did – You can tell me now, can't you, little nymph?"

"Stop calling me that," she whispered, pulling out of his grasp and turning away from him completely.

"And why should I do that?" he asked, a thrill racing through him as he was reminded of their first night together. "You are my little nymph, are you not? Now more than ever."

Ginny tensed up and he could tell by the way her back stiffened at his touch to her shoulder, a gentle trace of the line running up to her neck. "We are not on the island anymore, Draco," she replied, her voice firm as she spoke.

Draco closed the distance between them and risked everything by moving her hair to the side, letting it cascade over her other shoulder so as to kiss the base of her neck. "I don't care where we are," he muttered against her skin. "You are mine. Now, _tell me_ ," he insisted and he forced her to face him fully, and the sight of her could have near made his heart stop. Already he could see the slightest bump through the shape of her dress as it draped down to the floor. He had to hear her say it, here and now. "Tell me, Ginny. You cannot go on hiding this from me any longer. I won't allow it."

Ginny stared up at him, fear in her eyes again and he hated the fact that it was there. Draco wished for nothing more than to stop her feeling scared about this. "You already know," she said quietly, her eyes darting about her, watching for any would-be intruders. "Why do you need me to say it?"

"You will never understand," he answered. "I need to hear you say it and that is my explanantion. I am sure it will suffice considering you have known for some time now and seen fit to keep it from me."

"I had my reasons," she said, her voice wavering for the first time. "Reasons that you will never understand."

Draco grasped her by her waist and pulled her close to him and sighed as he felt her hands go up to his chest to stop him from pulling her any closer. "Just tell me, Ginny," he repeated. "Are you waiting for me to _beg_ you? Why are you torturing me?"

Ginny sighed and shut her eyes before dropping her head down. "Fine," she whispered. "It's yours, OK? It's your baby, Draco."

Draco shut his own eyes and lifted his face to the heavens, relief flooding him as he smiled widely. He wanted to hold her, to lay a hand on her stomach, to connect in some way to the baby she carried, _his_ baby. He wanted to kiss her as he had always kissed her, as though claiming her mouth for his own, as though no other mouth could ever satisfy him. And he knew none ever would. Not now and not ever. But a shudder went through her body and he realised she was crying. How could she cry when he felt so happy?

"This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered. "Not like this."

Draco stared down at her. "I don't give a damn how this has happened," he said to her, tipping her face up so he could look at her. He had never seen her cry before and dear Merlin, she was beautiful, so vulnerable. "It's happened and that's it. We both wanted this, we both wanted a family... well, now we have that."

"And What about Astoria?" she asked, sniffing, a confused look on her face.

Draco blinked, confused as to why she would bring up Astoria. "What about her? What has she to do with anything?"

"Aren't you marrying her?" she asked with a frown.

"No, why would I be marrying her? I sent her on her merry way after you so graciously left me," he replied.

Ginny had the good grace to redden again. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't want you to pass her over for some holiday fling, I didn't want you to regret choosing me."

Draco shook his head. "You're not some holiday fling," he said in a stern tone. "And I have no regrets, not then and definitely not now." He took a hand from her waist and let it pass over the bump, the soft material the only barrier between his skin touching hers and he felt his heart constrict almost painfully with longing. "Come home with me," he murmured to her, his mouth close to her ear. "Come, little nymph..." He let his mouth connect with her throat, his lips touching her ever so gently there as he placed kissed after kiss on her skin. But her hands were still up, against his chest and, despite how ineffectual they were, it symbolised the barrier she kept up.

"I can't," she said, stepping back from him and that single act roared the primal thing inside back into fiery life.

Draco pulled her back to him and kissed her before she could protest, his hands on her arms, stopping her from struggling against him. Her lips were just as soft as he remembered them, waiting to be bitten, waiting to be opened, waiting for him to deepen the kiss. The slightest of moans escaped her throat and he knew she wanted him. "You are mine," he growled as he released her mouth, his eyes boring into hers as he looked down at her and she only stared back at him, doe-eyed and still unable to fight against him, her lips red from the roughness of his kiss. "Do you understand? This _thing_ inside me won't let you go, won't let you run from me again, do you understand? It will hunt you down, it will find you and bring you back to me. It claimed you and now nothing else satisfies it, but you."

"Draco, I..." She trailed off, her cheeks flushing pink at the words he spoke. He knew it was absurd, but it made sense to him, to the primitive feeling inside him that she invoked. "I just can't do this right now... don't you understand? I'm scared of this," she gestured to the pair of them, "of _us_."

"What is there to be afraid of? Fuck everyone else!" he said loudly, causing her to look around in alarm, but still they were the only ones out there. "I haven't spoken to my father for two weeks over this! But he will get over it, I'm his only son and heir and he loves me, even after this!"

Ginny stared up at him, her eyes narrowing. "You told your father about us?" she asked, bemused.

"And my mother," he answered. "She wasn't happy, but she likes the idea of a grandchild more than she likes the idea of hating you." Draco held onto her still, worried that if he should let her go that she would run away from him again.

"My family is very different to yours," she replied once she had gotten over the initial shock that he had told someone And hadn't suffered dire consequences.

Draco nodded. "And you will have to tell them soon because if this baby comes out with white-blonde hair, they will start to think for themselves," he warned. "And wouldn't it be better to warn them _before_ thathappens?"

"I doubt their first thought would ever go to you, Draco," she said in exasperation but the worry was there, he could see it in her eyes.

"It will when I turn up for the birth," he replied bluntly.

Her eyes widened then and the real worry kicked in, her brow crinkled and she bit her lip nervously. "This is a mess," she sighed.

"Let's clean it up then, like adults," he urged her. "Be my wife."

Ginny gasped as her gaze snapped to his once more, shock evident in her rounded eyes. "Don't be ridiculous!" she gasped out, tugging away from him and walking back to the railing which she grasped tightly. "Be your wife?" she scoffed, shaking her head. "Have you had too much champagne?"

"Not at all," he answered, standing beside her calmly. "I wish to legitimise my child."

Ginny looked at him, still shaking her head as she laughed. "Well, that's not good enough for me," she said, rolling her eyes.

Draco had had enough, he grasped her arm and pulled her round to face him again "Is the fact that I have eaten disgusting takeaways for the past week and half because I sent my house elf to find you good enough? Is the fact that I have lived these past three months in a pathetic daze without you good enough? Or is the fact that I am maddeningly in love with you good enough?"

Ginny blinked. "You lived off takeaways for a week?" she asked, a little disgust in her expression.

"A week and a half," he pointed out.

"You still don't know how to cook?" she asked, her eyebrow arching up.

Draco sighed. "That's not important," he said impatiently. "I think an answer to my proposal is a greater priority than finding out my cooking skills."

"We can't just go and get married," she said in exasperation. "We hardly know each other. We wouldn't work, you know we wouldn't. Our families will despise each other, our friends will despise each other."

"And damn all of them..." he muttered before bending to kiss her again. It was all too much for Draco, being so close to her and unable to control what his body craved from her. It was maddening, she was maddening, as she had been from the start. He felt the press of her lips returning his kiss, felt her body pushing against his and he couldn't accept that she didn't want this; words came out of her mouth only to be contradicted by her body. "If you don't want this, then stop kissing me back, little nymph," he said quietly.

Ginny swallowed hard, but kissed him again, a chaste and short kiss. "I... can't," she replied.

"Ginny!"

Ginny jumped sharply back from him as though burned. "Oh... fuck..." Draco turned to see Granger standing just in front of the gauzy curtains, a look of utter horror on her face as her eyes took in him standing there.

" _Malfoy_?" Granger said, complete and utter confusion written across each line of her face. "Ginny... what are you doing with Malfoy?"

Ginny was silent for a few moments and Draco could see her breathing had quickened from the shock of being caught. "Umm... what do you think I was doing?" she asked, and he could tell she knew this was a stupid response though Draco understood that her brain might not just be working at the correct pace in that moment.

Granger looked from one to the other, still aghast and still rooted to the spot. "I dread to think," she finally replied, but then a strained look passed over her face. "Please tell me what is going on here, Ginny, I am at a complete loss."

"Does it matter?" Ginny said with a heavy sigh.

Granger blinked rapidly as though unable to comprehend such a question. "Does it matter?" she frowned. "Of course it matters! I've just found you out here snogging Malfoy's face off!"

"Keep your voice down, will you, Hermione?" Ginny said as she stepped closer to her friend. "And I wasn't snogging his face off," she said in exasperation. "It's nothing – just a misunderstanding."

Draco stared at Ginny, taken aback by her attempts to deflect Granger's prying by resorting to lying. What was the point in lying now? Did she believe that he would stand on the sidelines and have no say in how their child was raised? Did she believe that she could escape him? That wasn't going to happen, he would have Ginny as his wife and it would do her good to finally realise that. "Misunderstanding? What is there to be misunderstood about what Granger just saw?"

Ginny threw him an incredulous look. "It was nothing," she insisted, eyeing him as if to tell him to shut up.

"What is the use in hiding this anymore?" he asked, stepping closer to her, imploring her. But he still saw the fear in her eyes, the fear he hated and he realised it was the only thing he hated about her – the fact that she was scared of what they could be, of what they could cause. "Granger isn't stupid, she is already working it out now – a know it all like her can't resist."

Granger seemed to be immersed in her own thoughts to really take any notice of his insult. "Ginny?" she asked, a line of worry of on her forehead. "Tell me what is going on here... are-are you with _Malfoy_?" she asked in almost a whisper, the truth seemed too terrible to say loudly enough. But Granger knew the answer, Draco could see it in the way she cringed ever so subtly, the curl of disgust dawning on her lips.

"I am not _with_ Draco," Ginny finally said, worry on her face now as she looked at her friend. "We never were _with_ each other."

" _Draco_? Since when did you call him _Draco_?" Hermione asked, disgust now well and truly evident in her face and tone.

"Since I started calling her Ginny," Draco supplied. "And what were we if we weren't with each other? You know this was more than some stupid fling, you admitted it yourself so be a bloody Gryffindor and face this."

Granger was still incredibly confused, despite being clever, this appeared to be beyond her comprehension. "But... what about the father of your baby? What happened to... -," she trailed off, eyes widening. "Dear Merlin!" she gasped, her hands going to her mouth momentarily. "It's... it's _him_ , isn't it?" she whispered, gesturing over to him as she stared wildly at Ginny. " _Malfoy_ is the father, isn't he? Dear Merlin..." Granger conjured a chair and sat down on it, her head in her hands as she muttered to herself. "What _possessed_ you to _sleep_ with... with _him_!"

Ginny rushed over to Granger and knelt beside her, forcing her hands away from her face so she could look at her. "Hermione, I can't explain to you what happened on that island," she said gently. "Even if I could comprehend it, I couldn't explain it – it was so personal and raw... I didn't go out of my way to fall pregnant, I didn't go out of my way to sleep with the first familiar face... It just... _happened_."

"But, why Malfoy?" Granger said, her voice almost despairing. "Of all people, why him?"

Ginny had no reply to that, what could she possibly say? He suspected his parents had thought the same thing – _why Ginny Weasley_?

"There is no why, Granger," Draco finally said, forcing them both to look at him. "There is no rhyme or reason as to why we ended up in this mess, obviously we were both careless, but how we got to this point is based on pure attraction. Our names meant nothing."

Granger stared open-mouthed at him, despair still in her expression. "I just don't get it..." She muttered, turning back to Ginny and shaking her head.

Draco sighed heavily, growing impatient. "You don't have to get it," he said in a harsher tone of voice, " all you have to do is accept it."

Those words, and the way he had spoken them, seemed to for Granger back into life. "I don't have to accept anything, Malfoy!" she snapped. "This is completely irresponsible! Did either of you have any thought to what might happen before you... _Merlin_... before you fell into bed with one another? Did you actually consider your family at all?"

"This has nothing to do with our families," Draco said curtly.

Granger stood up and advanced on him. "This has _everything_ to do with our families!" she said loudly. "I'm sure your father will be very proud to have a blood traitor in the family!"

"I don't give a damn what my father thinks," Draco growled back, glaring down at Granger as she stopped in front of him.

"And I'm sure our family will be so welcoming of a former Death Eater," she said with a sneer. "I can see Christmases going very well, and birthdays."

"I'm leaving," Ginny said abruptly, standing beside the chair Granger had just vacated. "This is exactly what I didn't want and you've both just proven me right – This can't ever work. I'm going home."

Draco stared in horror at her. "No, Ginny, wait!" he started towards her. "I know you want this, just wait!"

She disapparated.


End file.
